Magnolia Crescent
by LadyElemental
Summary: Instead of watching, Black talks to Harry before the Knight Bus arrives. This simple and seemingly small decision opens new doors for Harry, giving him more spells, new abilities, and a new outlook on people in general.
1. A Bum In The Street

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything of this story. Harry Potter and all of the notable characters belong to J.K. Rowling.**

**This was a story idea that my fiance (starwarsdude8221991) wanted me to collab with him on. Basically, he came up with the main idea and I became the scribe. He is also the beta reader for this story.**

* * *

><p><span>Magnolia Crescent<span>

Chapter One

A Bum On The Street

It was dark out and Harry Potter was trudging down the street, heading for anywhere that wasn't the Dursley house. His Aunt Marge had just upset him, and without him realizing it, he had inflated her till she floated out of the house and into the night sky. Uncle Vernon was furious with that, spitting in Harry's face that he put her back right away. Harry had all but run out the door and with his anger ebbing, Harry soon realized that he didn't have anywhere to go, nor did he have any Muggle means of transportation. He paused at the street sign that read Magnolia Crescent, wondering slightly how he had gotten so far so fast.

Harry had just sat down on the curb when a grubby looking homeless man could be seen walking toward him under the street lamp. Trying to look busy, Harry delved into his trunk, under the pretense of finding something. Harry fumed at himself as he sat down in disgust at his own lack of planning. Harry sat a moment when he took notice of a very unpleasant smell. He tried to ignore it but turned to see a man standing couple of yards away. Harry quickly averted his eyes.

"What are you doing?" the man said. Harry looked up to see the homeless man staring curiously down at him. There was an odd sort of twinkle in his blue eyes.

"I- I," Harry stammered, closing the lid of his trunk. "I was just looking for something." The look on the man's face said that he didn't buy it but he didn't say anything. Instead, he carefully sat himself down next to Harry, crossing his arms over his knees.

"Do you realize that it is almost midnight? And yet, here you are, wandering around on your own," the man mused. "Don't you have a home?"

"I- yes, I do. The only thing is, my uncle is very upset with me at the moment."

"Seems more like the other way around, unless of course he kicked you out of the house," replied the man as he looked up at the sky for a moment. He returned his attention back to Harry expecting the teen to continue.

"My uncle just doesn't like me and finds any excuse to yell at me or punish me." Harry's voice was full of renewed fury. He wished that he could tell this man what he had done to Marge but Harry didn't even know who this man was or even if he was a wizard for that matter.

"That hardly seems fair to you. Are you a trouble maker or something, you seem like a good kid. Why would anyone try to cause you enough grief you would want to leave?" Harry gave a small smirk at this; few people really called him good in any context.

"Thanks but it's not something I would like to talk about. Why does life have to be so difficult?" Harry asked suddenly. The man only shrugged, prompting for Harry to describe his difficulties.

"I didn't ask to live with them, I hardly get out, have no friends in the area and worse, my school requires things of me my family just doesn't understand. So each time I come home, I get treated like the plague," he vented. The man just sat there and listened. "On top of that, my cousin thinks I'm his living punching bag and the family doesn't care, they're always pushing me on someone else and what's sad is that I look forward to it!" Harry went silent for a moment. "That's not the type of family I should be living with."

"Sounds like trouble, and believe you me I know how much grief blood relatives can give you. Maybe you could exercise or find somebody to help back you up," the man offered.

"Sounds like a good plan, the only problem is that if I strike back at Dudley, my aunt and uncle will come down even harder on me. I can't win for losing!" Harry threw his hands up in the air in frustration. Harry sighed; he wasn't feeling much better as the man patted him on the back.

"I really wish I could help you. Isn't there anyone you could talk to, I mean you must have professors, friends at school that can help?" The man questioned stroking his black facial hair in thought

"I guess, nobody really thinks about it or believes me. But I don't really like to talk about my problems." Harry realized he was never very open about his problems; even his friends were left in the dark when it came to his family.

"Will you be heading home?" asked the man after a pause.

"My situation is a bit more complicated than that." Harry frowned, realizing his situation was still problematic.

"Well when you get the chance you better say something. You can't burden yourself with everything," the man smiled as he stood up. "Look at me I tried to take care of everything on my own and it has caused me endless grief. Learn from my mistakes, Potter. Not enough time in the world to let things sit. If you got a problem, your best bet would be to take care of it now." The man smiled taking leave of the teen. He practically hobbled away, as though his hips and knees refused to move. Harry sat there for a while, practically stunned, before he decided what he was going to do. He had broken wizard law and performed underage magic. Surely he was expelled by now, although, why a Ministry owl hadn't found him, he had no idea.

"_Lumos_," Harry muttered, doing his best to push the conversation out of his mind. Figuring that since he was already expelled from Hogwarts, he made up his mind to enchant his trunk so that it was light as a feather and attach it to his broomstick, after it had been covered by the Invisibility Cloak, and fly to the Leaky Cauldron. He was just digging in his trunk for both his broomstick and his Cloak when he heard a bush rustling nearby. He held his wand up, looking around for the source of the noise. Then he saw it; he moved around his trunk slowly for a better look.

Coming from the bushes between two houses were a set of great gleaming yellow eyes. Startled, Harry stepped backwards but tripped over his trunk. He threw out his arms to break his fall and he heard a deafening BANG. Harry yelled, scrambling backwards while trying to shield his eyes from the bright headlights that had appeared suddenly. After recovering from his fright, Harry realized that it was a triple-decker bus, emblazoned with the words _The Knight Bus_ on the shocking purple paint.

"Welcome to the Knight Bus, emergency transport for the stranded witch or wizard. Just stick out your wand hand, step on board and we can take you anywhere you want to go. My name is Stan Shunpike, and I will be your conductor this evening," said a man in a purple uniform as he stepped on the pavement. Harry quickly picked up his wand and stood before Stan could question him. But it didn't matter.

"What was you doing down there?" Stan asked.

"Fell over," Harry said shortly. Ignoring Stan's question of why he fell over, Harry walked over to peer around the bus. The eyes were still in the bushes, but from the headlights of the bus illuminating the street, Harry could see that they belonged to a big lurking black dog. The dog looked mangy and thin, probably a stray.

"Are you coming or what?" Stan asked, already heaving Harry's trunk aboard. "Let's not wait for the grass to grow."

"How much to go to London?" Harry asked, fumbling in his pocket for his money bag.

"Eleven Sickles," Stan responded. "Firteen if you want 'ot chocolate." Harry paid his money, and took a good look around. There were no seats, just beds that stood beside candle brackets on the walls. Stan pointed Harry to his bed, stowed his trunk and rapped on the driver's door.

"Take 'er away, Ern," he said.

"Yeah, take it away, Ernie," a shrunken head jeered from the window. Ernie seemed to snap awake, quickly bite into the sandwich he was holding and slam on the gas all in one go. Harry, along with everything inside the bus, slid backwards about a foot.

"Where you headin' anyways?" Stan asked, shaking out his copy of the _Daily Prophet_.

"The Leaky Cauldron, that's in London," Harry said, trying to keep his balance on the bed as the bus jumped here and there down the street.

"Did you hear that, Ern? 'The Leaky Cauldron, that's in London,'" Stan laughed.

"Hey, if you order the pea soup, make sure you eat it before it eats you!" the shrunken head was saying. "Ernie, little ol' lady at twelve o'clock." Harry didn't have time to brace himself. Ernie slammed on the brake, at which point Harry face planted into the windshield. As soon as the old lady had crossed safely in front of them, Ernie punched the gas once more.

"Isn't this dangerous?" Harry asked offhandedly.

"Nah, haven't had an accident in about a week," Stan said proudly. Harry gulped a bit as he tried to distract himself from that comment.

"But what about the Muggles, won't they notice?"

"Muggles? Don't notice nuffink do they?" Stan retorted.

"Nah, but if you jab 'em with a fork, they feel it," the shrunken head commented. Harry rolled his eyes, briefly watching London flash by. Stan, who had kept his balance thus far, shook out his newspaper once more and began to read. Harry could see the front page headline stating "Escape From Azkaban: Black Still At Large" above a mug shot of a sunken faced man, with dirty brown waves tangled down to his shoulders. There was a manic look to his hooded eyes.

"Who's that man on the front page?" Harry asked, he couldn't help but think he had seen the man's face somewhere.

"Who is that? Who is- ? That is Sirius Black, that is," Stan said. "I reckon you 'eard of 'im?" Harry shook his head.

"Why was he in prison?"

"He was a murderer, he was. And a big supporter of You-Know-Who; went crazy when he lost power, he did. Went out and killed him some Muggles, thirteen to be exact. All with a single curse, at that!" Harry's eyes widened.

"Well, how did he escape then?" Harry asked.

"That's the big question, isn't it? He's the firs' one tha' done it!" Stan's eyes went wide as he spoke. Right then, Harry noticed two double decker buses right in front of them at the same the head did.

"Mind your head," the shrunken head joked as Ernie slowed down and squeezed a handle. As the bus approached the other two, it sucked itself together, along with everything inside, enough to shimmy through.

"Hey, hey guys. Why the long faces?" the head laughed as they came out from between the double decker's. Shortly after that, they swung up to Diagon Alley, lightly bumping a car and setting off the alarm. Tom, the Leaky Cauldron's wizened old barkeep, appeared on the sidewalk below.

"Ah, Mr. Potter…at last," he wheezed. Stan was setting Harry's trunk on the ground, turning to talk excitedly to Ernie. Tom silenced the car with a wave of his wand and ushered Harry inside. Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic, was waiting for Harry in a parlor off to the side of the bar. Harry gulped involuntarily.

"There's no need to look so glum, Harry. We've found your uncle's sister, had her properly punctured and her memory modified. I dare say she'll not remember what happened this evening," Fudge announced.

"But, sir, I'm confused. I broke the law; underage wizards aren't allowed to do magic outside of school," Harry protested, sure that he was going to be expelled. Curse his nerves for making him speak.

"Oh, Harry, my boy. We don't send people to Azkaban for blowing up their aunts!" Fudge chortled. "On the contrary, running away like that was a very irresponsible thing to do."

"How so?" Harry asked.

"There's a killer on the loose," Fudge stated matter-of-factly.

"Sirius Black, you mean. But how has that got anything to do with me?" Harry was perplexed. If there was a killer on the loose, and he should be one of the people most concerned, wouldn't the Ministry, or even Dumbledore, have contacted him? No one told Harry that he should have been careful, or stayed home until school started.

"Nothing, it's nothing really," Fudge said weakly. "Tom will show you to your room. I only ask that you stay within Diagon Alley and the Leaky Cauldron." With that, Tom grasped Harry roughly by the arm and led him up the stairs and down the hall to his room. Everything of his had been brought up, including Hedwig's cage but it was empty. Harry's heart had dropped slightly when through the open window, Hedwig soared in with a hoot.

Seeing as there were still a few days left to Harry's summer vacation, he spent the majority of his days wandering around Diagon Alley. It took a lot of self-control not to buy everything he thought looked neat. The limits of his control were pressed even further when he passed by Quality Quidditich Supplies and laid eyes upon the year's newest broom, the Firebolt. It was on the second day there, that Harry ran into Ron and Hermione while leaving the pub.

"Harry!" Hermione called, standing quickly while Ron followed her over. "How are you?"

"Excellent now. What're you two up to?" Harry asked, giving them both a hug.

"'Bout to head over to the Magical Menagerie, Scabbers isn't looking too well." As proof, Ron held out the skinny and dirty gray rat for Harry to see. Agreeing to accompany them, they set off into Diagon Alley. The shopkeeper had poor hopes for Scabbers. Ron speculated that he was just a common garden rat, to which they found out only lived for about three years.

"Only three?" Ron asked, appalled. "But Scabbers has been with my family for roughly twelve years!"

"If he hasn't shown any magical ability, then I'm afraid, he's just getting old," the shopkeeper informed them. "There's nothing to do for him. If you really want to do something, try and give him this every day." She handed him a red bottle labeled _Rat Tonic_. As Ron was paying, a giant orange fluff ball leapt from a higher shelf and landed, with extended claws, onto Ron's shoulder, swiping at Scabbers. The terrified rat took off out the door and down the street with Harry and Ron chasing after him. The two boys quickly ducked in and out of the crowd.

"Sorry, ma'am," Harry apologized as he caught up to Ron trying to coax his now terrified rat out from under the waste paper basket outside of Quality Quidditch Supplies. Ron tapped his pocket with Scabbers, shaken, but safe.

"What was that?" Ron asked breathlessly.

"A large cat or a very small tiger," Harry replied.

"Well I have a feeling Hermione will be getting her new animal soon," said Ron. Harry gave Ron a confused look for a moment. "As we were heading over, she mentioned something about getting an owl." The two walked around the alley when they found Hermione outside the Menagerie, cuddling the offending cat.

"Isn't Crookshanks lovely?" she cooed. Ron's horrified expression said that he thought otherwise. "The lady said nobody wanted him, but that could be because he's part Kneazle."

"Bless you," Ron chuckled. "I can't believe you bought that beast. It just attacked Scabbers." Ron frowned looking at the grumpy looking animal. Hermione scowled before Harry dragged them off down the street so they could collect the rest of their school things. It wasn't until dinner that they had finished and headed back towards the Leaky Cauldron. Hermione and the Weasleys, it seemed, were staying there as well. Ron and Hermione told Harry all about their summer travels; a clipping from the _Daily Prophet_ laying in front of them.

"Not flashing that clipping about again, are you, Ron?" a voice said behind them. George and Fred Weasley had just entered the pub, one of them snatching the clipping off of the table.

"I haven't shown anyone!" Ron argued.

"No, not a soul," Fred snapped. "Unless you count Tom."

"The day maid," George added.

"The night maid."

"The cook."

"The bloke that came to fix the toilet."

"That wizard from Belgium." The twins went on and on, listing all of the people that Ron had supposedly shown the clipping to. Harry couldn't help but grin at this. By evening, Mrs. Weasley hollered at all of them to make sure their belongings were packed properly and that nothing was left behind.

"Harry, might I have a word?" Mr. Weasley asked, grabbing Harry's shoulder before he could head upstairs.

"Sure, what for?" he asked. Mr. Weasley only shushed him and led him away from the others. He checked around to make sure that they were out of earshot before speaking.

"Harry, what I'm about to tell you is something that a lot of people don't want you knowing. I disagree with them, I think that you need to be prepared and know what you could be up against. Tell me, Harry, what do you know of Sirius Black?" Mr. Weasley asked.

"I know he's a convicted murderer and escaped prisoner."

"Black was a big supporter of You-Know-Who. When you stopped him thirteen years ago, Black lost everything. He thinks that you're the only thing standing in the way of You-Know-Who rising to power again. The Ministry believes that Black has broken out of Azkaban to, well, kill you." Mr. Weasley forced the words out, checking for Harry's reaction at the same time. Harry brought his hand to his chin trying to remember anything that seemed to stick out as an attack on his life.

"What color are Black's eyes?" Harry asked as he noticed the black and white poster near them.

"Um, blue, if I remember correctly," Mr. Weasley replied. "Why do you ask," he finished cautiously.

"I think he might have already had the chance," Harry finished as he looked at the picture; the connection finally clicked as he looked at Ron's, now very confused, father.

* * *

><p><strong>So, I want to know what you guys think. Yes, there will be more. We're hoping to go through all of the books up until the end. A lot more is going to change, just wait for more chapters. Please R&amp;R, thanks!<strong>

**BTW: Check out my fiance's account at u/1440338/starwarsdude8221991. He's got a lot of different stories up there, and he's a really good author!  
><strong>

***EDIT*: I've noticed that there have been more than a few people complaining about the first few chapters being almost straight out of the book/movie. We've created a bit of a butterfly effect (Google "TV Tropes: For Want of a Nail") so the story doesn't stray too much until you get to chapter four or five. Hang in there, new readers, we promise it gets wayy better as you go! ~LE**


	2. Creatures and Classes

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything of this story. Harry Potter and all of the notable characters belong to J.K. Rowling.**

* * *

><p><span>Magnolia Crescent<span>

Chapter Two

Creatures and Classes

"Wait, what did you just say?" Mr. Weasley asked, astounded. "I did just hear you correctly when you said that Black might have already had a chance?"

"Yeah, that's what I said," Harry nodded, wondering why Mr. Weasley suddenly looked so ferocious. "I'm pretty sure it was him. He called me 'Potter' and I never told him my name." Mr. Weasley began to pace immediately, all the while, mumbling to himself.

"I should tell Molly – no, then she'll worry needlessly. Need to alert – "

"Can I go now, Mr. Weasley?" Harry asked. Harry's words seemed jolt Mr. Weasley back to the present.

"You do realize the danger that Black poses, Harry?" Harry nodded and Mr. Weasley continued but his train of thought seemed to have gotten sidetracked. "If it was Black, why didn't he strike while he had a chance? Maybe that's not his target – but it has to be."

"Mr. Weasley?"

"Promise me that whatever happens, you won't go looking for Black," Mr. Weasley said suddenly.

"Mr. Weasley, why would I go looking for someone who wants to kill me?" Harry asked a bit perplexed.

"Well, you are known for getting in trouble," Mr. Weasley chuckled, clapping Harry on the back.

"Harry, be a dear and make sure all your things are packed," Mrs. Weasley said, coming back downstairs. As Harry headed upstairs, he thought he heard Mrs. Weasley begin to reprimand her husband.

Harry sat on his bed, thinking over the past few days. If his suspicions were correct, then the man who wanted to kill already had a chance. Why hadn't Black killed him? Why had he just walked away? Harry pushed it out of his mind; Ron and Hermione would be with him. Besides he knew better than to seek out a murderer.

The night passed in a blur of dreamless sleep. Harry wasn't sure if had slept at all. In the morning, Mrs. Weasley bustled them all off to King's Cross station. Platform nine and three quarters was packed full of students and their parents. Harry led Ron and Hermione down the train, searching for an empty compartment. Near the end, Hermione stopped them outside of compartment with only one man inside. He looked almost as bad as the man Harry had seen on Magnolia Crescent; his clothes were patched in multiple and he just shabby as a whole.

"Everywhere else is full," she sighed, opening the door and hauling her trunk inside. Harry and Ron followed suit. After stowing their luggage, they headed back outside to say goodbye to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. When the whistle blew, they had to hurry aboard before they were left behind.

"Who is this guy?" Ron asked when they arrived back at their compartment.

"Professor R. J. Lupin," Hermione stated.

"You know everything. How does she know _everything_?" Ron asked in astonishment.

"It's on his case, Ronald." Hermione pointed. "I wonder why he's taking the train. Teachers normally don't."

"Who knows," Harry said. "Do you reckon he's actually asleep?" When Ron and Hermione nodded, Harry slid the door closed and began to tell them what he hadn't been able to in the pub, what Mr. Weasley had told him and what had happened on Magnolia Crescent. By the time Harry finished, it was pouring outside and the lunch trolley had already come and went.

"Sirius Black escaped Azkaban, to come after you?" Ron asked, slightly scared.

"They will catch him, right?" Hermione voice quavered a bit.

"Of course, but no one's ever broke out of Azkaban before and he's a raving, murderous lunatic…." Ron trailed off.

"Thanks, Ron. Very helpful," Harry said sarcastically. Ron opened his mouth to speak but before he could say anything, the train lurched to a stop. The lanterns flickered as though caught in a wind and then went out.

"We can't be there yet," Hermione muttered as Harry opened the door and looked up and down the corridor as Ron peered out the window. Many other students were staring out of their compartments, wondering what was going on. The train rocked once more, throwing Harry back into his compartment as an icy chill spread over them.

"There's something moving out there," Ron announced as ice formed on the windows, making their breath visible. The train rocked again, startling Ron and throwing back against his seat.

"Bloody hell! What's happening?" Ron's voice was high-pitched from fear. And his fear was well placed for a black cloaked figure had suddenly appeared, wrenching open the door with a scaly and scabbed hand. As the creature took a rattling breath, it seemed as though they had plunged into an ice cold lake, as though every happy feeling had evaporated.

The creature took another rattling breath, turning more towards Harry. His ears filled with the sound of a woman screaming. Then, without warning, Harry fainted.

"Harry!" Harry opened his eyes to find faces swimming above him. After realizing that his glasses had been removed, he put them on and saw Hermione's worried face. With a jolt, Harry realized that he was lying on the ground and he climbed into the seat rather quickly.

"Here, eat this. It'll help," a hoarse voice said from near the window. Professor Lupin was handing a piece of chocolate to Harry. "If you'll excuse me, I need to have a little word with the driver." Before he left, he motioned for Harry to eat the chocolate.

"What happened?" Harry asked, taking a small bite.

"Well, we thought you were having a fit," Ron said quietly.

"What was that thing?"

"A dementor," Hermione told him. "Professor Lupin said that they guard Azkaban. They were searching the train for Sirius Black."

"Yeah, because we're really going to smuggle him into Hogwarts," Ron laughed, feebly attempting to put some humor into the situation. Realizing that he had failed, he simply shrugged. "Lupin told it that we weren't hiding Black and some kind of light came out of his wand. The dementor just kind of left after that."

"Did either of you pass out?" Harry asked sheepishly. Both of them shook their heads.

"But I heard someone screaming," Harry protested.

"No one was screaming, Harry," Hermione said, looking at Harry with concern.

"No, I felt weird though. Like I'd never be cheerful again." Ron shivered. Harry was sure he had heard someone screaming, a woman, and she sounded to be in trouble. Professor Lupin came back and told them that they would be arriving shortly. Sure enough, within ten minutes, Harry could see the lights of Hogsmeade train station. They clambered out among the masses, heading for the carriages that would take them up to Hogwarts. Striding down the path, hollering for the first years, Hagrid could be seen towering high over everybody.

Harry, Ron and Hermione waved hello before continuing on their way. As they passed through the gate, Harry saw with horror that there were more dementors on either side of them. When they finally made it to the stone steps, Harry realized just how hungry he was. The chocolate hadn't helped much in that department and all he had for lunch were some Cauldron Cakes. They were almost to the Great Hall when Malfoy called after them.

"Potter! Did I hear everyone correctly," Malfoy sneered, "when they said that you fainted on the train? I mean, you _actually_ fainted?"

"Shove off, Malfoy," Ron said, grabbing ahold of Harry's sleeve and tugging him forward. They had just entered the Great Hall when McGonagall came striding towards them from the teacher's table.

"Miss Granger, might I have a word with you?" she asked. Hermione followed McGonagall out of the Great Hall, leaving Ron and Harry wondering what that was about. Shrugging, they found their way to Gryffindor table, ready to eat.

"Welcome! Welcome to another year at Hogwarts! I have a few things to say, and as one of them is serious, I think it best to get it out of the way before we become befuddled by our excellent feast. As you will all be aware after their search of the Hogwarts Express, our school is presently playing host to some of the dementors of Azkaban, who are on Ministry of Magic business. They are stationed at every entrance to the ground. While they are here, I must make it clear that dementors are not to be fooled by tricks and disguises, not even Invisibility Cloaks. A word of caution: it is not in the nature of dementor to be forgiving." Dumbledore paused to look around the school. At this point, Hermione came rushing in through the doors, eager to join the feast.

"Now on to a happier subject; I would like to introduce two new teachers this year. Please welcome your new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Lupin!" The Hall burst into applause, albeit it was a scattered slightly unenthusiastic applause.

"Of course, that's how he knew to give you the chocolate, Harry!" Hermione hissed.

"Professor Kettleburn retired at the end of last term in order to spend more time with his remaining limbs. Care of Magical Creatures will now be taught by none other than our own Rubeus Hagrid." It took a second for this piece of information to register with the school. When it did, the resulting applause created an uproarious din that couldn't be heard above. The Gryffindors clapped the loudest, making up for the fact that the Slytherins hadn't joined in at all.

"We should've known!" Ron roared over the noise. "Who else would have assigned us a biting book?" When silence finally fell over the Hall, Dumbledore clapped his hands together once and the golden dishes and goblets were instantly laden with food and drink. Conversation immediately rose up among the tables. Finally, when Harry could eat no more, the dishes cleared away and Dumbledore bid them all a good night and sent them off to bed. Harry, Ron and Hermione detoured to the staff table before finding their way upstairs.

"Congratulations, Hagrid!" Hermione cried, trying her best to give him a hug.

"Ah, thank you. It's what I always wanted…." Before he could continue, Hagrid burst into tears, where he promptly buried his face in his napkin. Giving him a pat on the back, they made their out of the Hall and up the winding staircases till they arrived at the entrance to the Gryffindor common room, a portrait of the Fat Lady.

"Password?" she asked, smoothing out her pink dress.

"Fortuna Major," Percy said from somewhere in the crowd. The portrait swung open and everyone clambered through where they went straight to bed.

The next morning at breakfast, their schedules were handed out. Over at the Slytherin table, Malfoy was making fun of Harry and teasing about his fainting spell on the train.

"Ignore him," Hermione scowled, forcibly turning Harry around. He had barely turned around, however, when George Weasley caught sight of him.

"What's the matter, Harry?"

"Malfoy," Ron answered for him. George looked up at Malfoy, who was now concluding his pretend faint.

"Quite the cocky little thing, isn't he?" George smiled. "Wasn't so much last night when the dementors arrived."

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked.

"He came running into our compartment," Fred answered. "Nearly wet himself, I think." The five of them laughed at this. In an effort to cheer Harry up, Fred added, "Don't worry about it Harry. Besides, first Quidditch match of the season is Gryffindor versus Slytherin."

Fred's attempt to cheer Harry had worked. The last time Harry had face Malfoy on the Quidditch pitch, Malfoy had come out worse for wear. As Harry and Ron loaded their plates, Hermione looked over her schedule.

"Oh, we're starting some of our new subjects today," she smiled. Ron, who had to figure out exactly what Hermione was taking, looked at her schedule as well.

"There's got to be some mistake," he said in astonishment. "They've got you down for three subjects all at nine o'clock! How are you going to manage that?"

"I've arranged it all with Professor McGonagall," she said with a tone that ended the conversation.

"Divination's first on our list, we better get going because it's at the top of the North Tower," Ron groaned. Somehow, they managed to find their way to North Tower, and just in the nick of time too.

The Divination classroom was very dark and smelled heavily of perfume. All of the lamps had been covered in shawls, and the fire had been lit, making it stifling warm inside her classroom.

"Welcome, my children. In this room, you shall explore the mysterious art of Divination. In this room, you shall discover if you possess the Sight." The speaker appeared from the shadows, draped in shawls and beads. "Hello. I am Professor Trelawney. Together, we shall cast ourselves into the future. But know this, one either has the Gift or not. It cannot be divined from the pages of a book as they will only cloud one's Inner Eye."

Hermione's face said that she clearly did not like this class already.

"The first term will be devoted to the reading of tea leaves. Later in the year, we shall progress to palmistry, fire omens and finally, the crystal ball. Classes will be disrupted in February as I will have come down with a nasty bout of flu in which I will lose my voice. Around the end of spring, one of our number will leave us forever." The class shifted nervously at this, wondering who would leave.

"Now, what I want you to do is grab a teacup from the shelf and bring it to me, I will fill it for you. After you have drunken the tea, swirl the dregs around three times and turn the cup upside down. After the last of the tea has drained, switch cups with your partner and practice reading the tea leaves."

Harry and Ron did as she instructed but it was hard to drink scalding tea very quickly.

"Right, so what do you see?" Ron asked skeptical.

"A load of soggy brown stuff," Harry answered. He was feeling sleepy; the perfumed air was making it difficult for him to concentrate. Professor Trelawney was circling the tables so Harry made an effort to try. "There's crooked cross – trials and suffering. But on a happier note, this could be sun. All in all, you're going to suffer but you're going to be happy about it?" Ron and Harry both started laughing, which caused Professor Trelawney to swoop down upon them.

"Tell me, my dear, what is it that you see?" she asked Ron.

"Well, this could be an acorn – 'windfall, unexpected gold'. Sweet, you can lend me some! Then there's some kind of animal…."

"Let me see that, dear." Professor Trelawney snatched the cup from Ron and began turning it around. "There's the falcon…you have a deadly enemy."

"Everyone already knows that," Hermione said loudly. Professor Trelawney just stared at her. "Well, he does. He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named has always been after Harry." Professor Trelawney ignored this, instead turning back to the cup.

"You do not have a happy cup," she tisked. "The club, meaning an attack, and the skull, danger in your path –" She gasped suddenly, dropping the cup, which landed unharmed on the table. Everyone was curious as to what she had seen.

"Professor, what did you see?" Parvati asked.

"My dear…you have the Grim."

"I have a what?" Harry asked, perplexed. Professor Trelawney looked about to faint because they hadn't understood what the Grim was.

"Taking the form of a giant spectral dog," one of the Gryffindors read, "it is among the darkest omens in our world. It is an omen…of death." There was a collective gasp from the students; they had begun crowding around Harry, wanting to look at the Grim. Murmurs broke out about what they thought it looked like.

"When you've all finished deciding whether I'm going to die or not!" Harry snapped. Everyone stepped away, avoiding his eyes.

"I think that will conclude our lesson for today," Professor Trelawney was saying. "Kindly pack your things and head to your next class." Harry picked up the cup, seeing for the first time, a dog within the tea leaves. Harry joined the crush of students heading down into the main part of the castle and caught up with Ron and Hermione. The hurriedly made their way to Transfiguration where they could see a gray tabby cat sitting on Professor McGonagall's desk. She transformed back into herself for a stony silence from the class.

"What's the matter with you today? That's the first time I've transformed and not had a reaction, not that it matters," Professor McGonagall said.

"Please, Professor. We've just had our first Divination lesson and – " Hermione started.

"Say no more. Tell me, which of you will be dying this year?" Harry reluctantly raised his hand. "Ah, predicting the death of a student is Professor Trelawney's favorite way of greeting a new class. You look in excellent health to me, Potter. So, you will understand if I don't excuse from homework today. I daresay that if you die, you need not hand it in." Professor McGonagall smiled, striding back to the front of the class, where she began instructing them on what an Animagus was. After Transfiguration, they ate a hurried lunch before they headed down to Hagrid's hut for their first Care of Magical Creatures class.

"If you ask me, Divination sounds like a very wooly subject," Hermione said nonchalantly. Ron and Hermione bickered the entire way across the grounds and it wasn't until Hagrid called them all closer that they stopped.

"I got a real treat for yeh today," Hagrid said proudly. "Follow me, and yeh'll also want to open yer books."

"And exactly how are we supposed to do that?" a cold voice sneered from behind Harry.

"Eh?"

"How are we supposed to open them?" Malfoy repeated.

"No one's been able ter open yer books?" Hagrid's face fell as he seen that every book had been belted or tied shut. "Yeh've got to stroke 'em." Hagrid demonstrated by taking Harry's book, fearlessly removing the belt and stroking the spine. It fell open in his hand with a contended growl. Hagrid turned uncertainly towards the paddock he had led them to.

"God, this place is going to the dogs. Wait until my father hears Dumbledore's got this oaf teaching classes," Malfoy scoffed.

"Shut up, Malfoy," Harry said.

"Dementor! Dementor!" Malfoy cried, his face contorted in terror. Harry wheeled around but there was nothing there. The Slytherins burst into laughter at this. Before Harry could do anything, Hagrid had come back leading a very strange looking creature. The front looked like an eagle but the back end was that of a horse, all in a silvery gray color. His beak was a very cruel steel color, offsetting his brilliant orange eyes. On his front feet were half a foot long talons; just by looking at them, Harry could tell that they were deadly.

"Say hello to Buckbeak!" Hagrid beamed. "Firs' thing yeh'll want to know abou' hippogriffs are that they are very proud creatures. Don't never insult one of 'em 'cause it just might be the last thing yeh do. Yeh always wait fer the hippogriff ter make the firs' move. It's polite, see? Yeh walk toward him, and yeh bow, an' yeh wait. If he bows back, yeh're allowed ter touch him. If he doesn' bow, then get away from him quick like, 'cause those talons hurt.

"So, who wants ter come an' say hello?" Everyone in the class stepped backwards right when Harry took a step forward.

"I'll do it," he said. Harry climbed into the paddock to stand beside Hagrid. He bowed low to the hippogriff, maintaining eye contact. Buckbeak eyed him warily; Hagrid started to motion Harry back when Buckbeak bent down onto one of his scaly knees.

"Alrigh' Harry!" Hagrid applauded. The rest of the class did as well. Tentatively, Harry stepped forward and placed his hand gently on his beak. Harry was thinking that hippogriffs were alright creatures when Hagrid suggested going for a ride. That stopped Harry dead in his tracks. Before Harry could move, Hagrid had grabbed him and placed upon Buckbeak's back, right behind his wings.

"Just don't pull out any of his feathers, he won't thank yeh for that!" Hagrid said, slapping Buckbeak on the rump. Buckbeak took off high above the trees, rising and falling with the beat of his wings. Harry didn't much care for flying astride a hippogriff and was glad when he faintly heard Hagrid whistle, causing Buckbeak to turn towards the paddock once more. The landing was rough and Harry just barely managed to hold on. As Hagrid helped him down, he asked how he was doing.

"Brilliant," Harry said. Then adding quickly, "Professor." Hagrid beamed down at Harry. While Hagrid's back was turned, Malfoy vaulted over the fence, heading straight towards Buckbeak.

"You're not dangerous at all, are you, you great ugly brute?" Malfoy said. Buckbeak reared suddenly, bringing down his steely talons on Malfoy's arm, as he tried to protect himself. "Ah, I'm dying! It's killed me!" Blood had blossomed on his arm, outlining a very deep gash.

"Hagrid!" Hermione hollered. "He needs to be taking to the hospital wing!"

"I'll do it, I'm the teacher!" Hagrid bent down and easily scooped Malfoy into his arms, and began striding towards the castle. "Class dismissed," he called over his shoulder.

"I'll get you for this," Malfoy moaned. "You and your bloody chicken." The class followed after Hagrid towards the castle. Harry stayed back a few moments to take everything in. Buckbeak nudged his arm, startling him, and Harry patted his beak. Harry was just going to pick up his schoolbag when he heard a bark coming from the far side of the paddock. He turned to see a shaggy black dog and his heart skipped a beat. The Grim couldn't possibly be following him around.

Then before he could say a word, the dog changed. Sitting on the ground, exactly as a dog would sit, was not the dog but a man. Sirius Black to be exact. Harry's voice seemed to have left him.

"Harry, please do not be alarmed. I swear on the graves of your mother and father that I won't hurt you. However, there is someone in the castle that I do want."

* * *

><p><strong>Again, please R&amp;R. Like, I said. Things are going to change, just wait for more chapters to come up.<br>**

**BTW: Check out my fiance's account at u/1440338/starwarsdude8221991. He's got a lot of different stories up there, and he's a really good author!**


	3. The Black Dog

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything of this story. Harry Potter and all of the notable characters belong to J.K. Rowling.**

**This was a story idea that my fiance (starwarsdude8221991) wanted me to collab with him on. Basically, he came up with the main idea and I became the scribe. He is also the beta reader for this story.**

* * *

><p><span>Magnolia Crescent<span>

Chapter Three

The Black Dog

Harry scrambled to his bag, reaching for his wand, heart racing.

"You're Sirius Black," Harry stated, finally grabbing his wand and pointing it straight at Black.

"Why, thank you. I think I should know my name, after all, I've had it for thirty-four years!" Black snapped.

"What are you doing here? How did you get past the dementors?" Harry asked, slightly breathless.

"Later, right now, I need your help." Black's voice was relatively calm now.

"I thought you escaped Azkaban to kill me!"

"And you're quite mistaken. You know something, I really hate bandwagons. Anyways, I didn't escape from Azkaban to kill you. I would never betray Lily and James' trust like that, especially not after they made me your godfather." Harry balked, obviously not expecting this piece of information.

"But weren't you a supporter of Voldemort?" Harry asked, attempting to keep his wand and voice steady. Black noticed this, for he raised his hands in a surrendering gesture.

"Never, just the opposite in fact. I opposed Voldemort thoroughly, right beside your parents.

"So, you didn't betray them?" Harry's heart was starting to slow. He reasoned that if Black had escaped to kill him, he would have done it by now. However, he decided not to believe what he was being told, but to go along with it so that he could get back to the castle.

"No, someone else did. Someone that I want to make pay for that mistake." Before Black could continue, he heard a bush rustling from the direction of the castle. Without another word, he bolted through the trees out of sight.

"Harry! What are you still doing here?" Hermione asked, looking breathless. Harry spun around to see her huffing a bit but otherwise fair for someone who might have just seen Black. Harry turned back but the man was gone.

"Oh, uh, nothing," Harry said, hastily putting his wand away and grabbing his schoolbag. He turned to leave when he felt something pawing at his foot. It was a stray black dog.

"Oh, is that your dog?" Hermione asked as she walked over to the dog.

"No, I've never seen it before in my life," Harry replied, still very confused and looking around for Black as if he would pop out from behind the trees at any moment. Hermione kneeled down and stated to pet the dog. Harry frowned, looking down at the dog.

"Well, that explains a lot. You know, I never pegged you for a dog person," Hermione commented, looking up at Harry.

"Depends on the dog; my aunt breeds bull dogs and I haven't fancied them since I met them," Harry said as he leaned over a bit to scratch behind the dog's ears.

"Why?" asked Hermione.

"Well, one time I got chased up a tree, and the whole family laughed at me. It was an hour before I got down," Harry frowned. The black dog tilted its head in confusion.

"An hour, Harry I doubt it was that bad, I bet they were just teasing you," Hermione dismissed. Harry looked at the dog, who seemed just as disbelieving as Hermione.

"I wish I was," Harry muttered. Hermione stopped petting the dog and stood up to face Harry.

"Was Ron telling the truth last year when they found bars on your window?" Hermione asked, frowning at him.

"Yes, they slid the food in under the door. I wouldn't make this stuff up, Hermione. They are mean and awful people, and my aunt was just as bad. The only reason I got picked up by the Knight Bus was because I would rather chance the streets than deal with them," Harry explained, his voice rising as he continued. "Why, did you think we were joking?" He sighed as he finished. The dog whimpered a bit as Harry stared at Hermione's wide eyes

"To be honest, Harry, yes," Hermione responded, she opened her mouth but shut it. "Harry, this really is something you should bring up with a teacher. This isn't the type of behavior muggle or wizarding parents should be allowed to do," Hermione frowned, having finally found her voice.

"I don't want to bother anyone about," Harry sulked, swatting the dog away as he nibbled at his robes. "Besides it's only during the summer and it wasn't as bad as it used to be," Harry dismissed as he started back to the castle.

"It used to be worse?" Hermione asked, startled. She quickly ran out in front of him. "Harry, this isn't something you should dismiss." She scowled as the black dog barked his agreement.

"That's enough out of you," Harry snapped at the dog as he tried to push past Hermione.

"Harry, promise me you will talk to someone about this." Her voice made it difficult to argue. Harry tried to push back but she glared at him, grabbing his sleeve and forcing him to look at her.

"Fine, I'll talk to someone," Harry gave in as she released him. "Just not today. Besides who's going to believe me? It took you a year to find out" Harry mouthed as he trudged back to the school. Hermione looked down at the dog giving it one last pat as she sighed.

"I wish he would stop thinking like he was a burden to others," she huffed, the dog yipped in agreement. She gave a weak smile. "Do try to talk some sense to him," she urged the dog as she ran off after Harry.

Malfoy was hamming it up over at the Slytherin table, making Harry wish he could just go over there and punch him just once, and right now he could really use the release.

"Another minute or two," Malfoy was saying, "and Madam Promfrey said that I could have lost my arm." Harry clenched his fists, but before he could complain to Ron and Hermione, Seamus ran toward them from the opposite end of Gryffindor table.

"He's been sighted! He's been sighted!" Seamus yelled, waving a copy of the _Daily Prophet_. Harry quickly set down his fork, an odd lump in his throat.

"Who, and where?" Hermione asked.

"Sirius Black, in Dufftown," Seamus replied.

"Dufftown? That's not far from here!" she cried. _That is impossible,_ Harry thought. _I was just talking to him._

"How long ago was that?" Harry asked.

"It was a few days ago. The Ministry kept holding it back, thinking they were actually going to catch him," Seamus said.

"You don't think he'd come to Hogwarts, do you?" Neville asked.

"With dementors at every entrance?" Lavender scoffed.

"He's already slipped past them once, hasn't he?" Seamus argued. "Who's to say he won't do it again!"

"Black could be anywhere," a fellow Gryffindor said. "It's like trying to catch smoke. Like trying to catch smoke with your bare hands."

Their classes seemed to drag on until they finally hit the one they were most eager for – Defense Against the Dark Arts. They had been hearing all week just how amazing Professor Lupin's classes were; when Thursday rolled around, Harry, Ron and Hermione were extremely excited to see what he had in store.

"Who can tell me what a boggart is?" Professor Lupin asked. They were standing inside an empty classroom, staring at a rattling wardrobe.

"Boggarts are shapeshifters," Hermione said. Ron jumped; she hadn't walked into class with them.

"Where'd she come from?" Ron whispered. Harry shrugged, focusing on Lupin.

"Excellent. Who knows what a boggart looks like?"

Again, it was Hermione who responded. "No one knows as they take the shape of whatever a particular person fears the most."

Professor Lupin showed them a simple charm (_Riddikulus_) to repel the boggart. After that, he asked Neville to assist him in showing the class what to do. Nervously, Neville shuffled to stand before the rattling wardrobe.

"What is it that you fear the most, Neville?" Lupin asked gently. Neville's answer was indecipherable; Lupin asked him to repeat it.

"P-Professor Snape," he stammered.

"Frightens all, you live with your grandmother, is that correct?"

"Yes, but I don't want that boggart to turn into her either!" Professor Lupin assured him that it would not and whispered instructions into his ear.

"Ready, one, two, three," Lupin said, waving his wand. The wardrobe opened to reveal an angry looking Snape. He stalked forward, Neville cried _Riddikulus_! and Snape stopped abruptly. In a whirl of wind, Snape's black robes were replaced by a hideous green dress, fox fur scarf and a red handbag, complete with a vulture topped hat. The class burst into laughter, immediately forming a line.

One by one, they each faced the boggart. Harry was pushed near the end of the line, eagerly awaiting his turn. His turn, however, never came. When he came face to face with the boggart, it began to shift. Before it could finish shifting, Lupin had leaped in front of him. The black cloaked something transformed into a silvery orb that just hung in the air.

"_Riddikulus!_" Lupin cried. The orb changed into a rapidly deflating balloon as it swirled around the classroom and back into the wardrobe. "I think we'll call that a lesson. I apologize for those of you who did not have a chance to face the boggart; however, it's no big loss as long as you remember the charm." Professor Lupin sent them on their way and the talk of the third years then turned to Hogsmeade. Harry grumbled every time he heard somebody say how excited they were to see the Shrieking Shack or visit Honeyduke's, both of which were attractions in Hogsmeade. It seemed that he was the only third year not allowed to visit Hogmeade; this was due to Uncle Vernon not signing his permission form before Harry stormed out of the house.

That wasn't the only bad thing going on right now. After Malfoy had provoked Buckbeak and suffered the consequences, his father was furious. Hagrid was worried about being fired, so he stayed with lesser creatures, such as flobberworms, for his class to learn about. Professor Trelawney kept predicting Harry's demise and casting sympathetic looks at him. Add to all of that the fact that the Quidditich season was starting soon and Harry now had practice three times a week, which was something that he actually looked forward too.

Pep talks from Oliver Wood, their captain, on the other hand, were not something that anyone from the team looked forward too. Wood's talks were highly longwinded, comprised of how Gryffindor had not held the Quidditch Cup for seven years and that it was his final year to win it. They trained mercilessly, no matter what the weather was. One October evening, they returned to Gryffindor Tower to find the atmosphere alight with exhilaration.

"What's going on?" Harry asked, finding Ron and Hermione leaving the notice board.

"First Hogsmeade trip of the year is this weekend!" Ron replied excitedly. However, at the sudden drop in Harry's face, he quickly changed the subject.

"How was practice?" he asked.

"Great," Harry said grumpily. This did not take Harry's mind off of Hogsmeade, as Ron had hoped.

"Honestly, Harry. Percy told me that Hogsmeade really isn't all that it's cracked up to be," Ron said. "Maybe McGonagall will let you go."

"Ron!" Hermione immediately pounced on this. "Harry's not supposed to leave the grounds! He's not even supposed to be _on the grounds_ after dark!" They stopped talking of Hogsmeade, for it seemed to only make Harry more depressed. Instead, they turned to homework that was in need of being done. They were nearly done with their Astronomy charts when Crookshanks bounded into the room, leaping straight at Ron's bag. Ron yelled, jumping up and wrenching the bag away from the cat, too whom he gave a swift kick across the room.

"Ronald!" Hermione cried, quickly scooping Crookshanks into her arms. "He's just a cat!"

"Yeah? Well _that cat_ has got it out for Scabbers! That's not the first time I've seen him go after him," Ron shouted. Harry busied himself with his star chart, but there wasn't much left to do on it. Ron and Hermione continued to argue until Ron, still fuming, declared that he was going to bed. Hermione stood in the now deserted common room, with tear filled eyes, before she too declared that she was going to bed.

The next few days were not the best to be around Ron and Hermione together. Granted, Hermione was trying to make amends by asking how Scabbers was and the like. Ron, on the other hand, was acting very rude to Hermione and it showed in his actions. In Herbology, they were set to work stripping beans from puffapods. While responding angrily to Hermione, Ron stripped the puffapod, but missed the pail and the beans scattered over the greenhouse floor.

When Harry awoke on Halloween morning, the day of the Hogsmeade visit, he was a in a very grumpy mood. He walked with Ron and Hermione to the entrance hall, where Filch was checking names against a list of students allowed to visit Hogsmeade.

"This visits are a privilege," Professor McGonagall called. "Should your behavior reflect poorly on the school, that privilege shall not be extended again. No permission slip signed, no visiting the village. That's the rule, Potter." Harry had not even had a chance to speak.

"But, Professor, I thought that if you signed…." Harry started, but stopped when he saw McGonagall's expression.

"I'm sorry, Potter. Only a parent or a guardian can sign, and since I am neither, it would be inappropriate. I'm sorry, that's my final word," McGonagall said, placing her hand sympathetically upon Harry's shoulder.

He caught Ron and Hermione's eye; when they saw his downtrodden face, Hermione walked over and leaned into his ear, "Harry, this would be a good time to talk to McGonagall," she whispered. Harry shook her off as he looked at the wizened teacher, not really wanting to talk to her. "Harry," she hissed.

"Fine, I'll try to talk to her," Harry reasoned and she glared at him. He was beginning to feel really annoyed. "But only if you find a way to prove I am telling the truth," Harry snapped back.

"Not fair, but reasonable, I suppose. Listen if I find a way, will you bring it up with her?" Hermione asked.

"Yes, but only if you come with me," Harry growled. She frowned but consented.

"I am holding you to this," Harry called after her as she went to go join Ron.

With Ron and Hermione gone, Harry headed into the castle with the plan to work on his homework. He was heading up the stairs when he thought of the boggart. Curious as to why Professor Lupin had not let Harry fight it, he turned and headed for the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. Halfway there, he ran into none other than Professor Lupin himself.

"Harry," he said. "Why aren't you in Hogsmeade with all of the other third years?"

"No permission form," Harry sighed. "Professor, how come – "

"I didn't let you face the boggart? I thought it would have been obvious, I assumed that it would take the shape of Lord Voldemort." They headed down the corridor towards Lupin's office.

"I thought of Voldemort but then I remembered that night on the train, with the dementors…."

"Hmm, that's very wise of you, Harry. This suggests that what you fear the most, is fear itself."

"Professor, you made those dementors on the train go away. Could you teach me to do the same?" Harry asked. Before Professor Lupin could answer, there was a knock at the door. Without waiting for an answer, Professor Snape pushed the door open, carrying a smoking goblet.

"Ah, thank you, Severus," Lupin said fairly amiably. Snape set the goblet on the desk, glowering at Harry.

"You'll want to drink that as soon as possible, Lupin. If you have need of more, let me know. I have an entire cauldronful ready," Snape said before sweeping out of the room.

"You want to learn how to repel a dementor?" Lupin asked, taking a sip of the potion and shuddering at the taste.

"Yes, before I fainted, I heard a woman screaming. I think it was my mother," Harry said.

"When I saw you, I recognized you instantly. Not by your scar, but by your eyes. They're your mother's, Lily's eyes. I knew her when I was younger, she was a remarkable woman. A clever witch and an even kinder woman. She had this knack of finding beauty in someone even if they couldn't see it themselves. That's why she fell in love with your father, never mind his troublemaking. Rumor has it that James passed on his troublemaking down to you," Lupin smiled. "There are many stories that could be told of your parents. But just know that they lived each and every day to its fullest."

When Harry left Lupin's office, it wasn't even noon yet and he hadn't gotten an answer. Bored and lonely, he wandered the castle, trying his damnedest to avoid his homework in Gryffindor Tower. After about twenty minutes, he decided to go to the Owlery and see Hedwig. He slowly ran his finger through her feathers as he remembered the dog from before.

"I wonder if there is a connection between the dog and Sirius Black," Harry though aloud. Hedwig playfully nipped at his fingers. Harry grinned as he pulled his fingers away a bit. "Well, I could look in the library, not like I have anything better to do." Harry soon found himself looking around the old dusty books; it reminded him of his first year looking for Nicolas Flamel. Harry looked through all manners of books relating to famous magical wizards and their pets.

"Hello, what are you looking at?" said a female voice.

"Hello, Ginny," Harry smiled as he looked up at Ron's little sister. "Looking up connections between wizards and animals."

"Can I help?" she offered. "I took care of my homework and I wouldn't mind helping." She gave a shy grin.

"Yeah, I ran into this wizard twice and both times I saw a black dog not long after. I'm trying to find a connection," Harry presented.

"Well, there's transfiguration," Ginny mentioned.

"I thought of that. I'm not sure he has a wand so I'm looking for wandless explanations, but so far nothing seems magical about a dog," Harry then felt something click in the back of his mind as he went back to first year. "Wait Professor McGonagall turned into a cat first year, what did she call it?"

"An Animagus," Ginny answered as Harry leapt to the books He quickly found a book on basic understanding of the Animagus. He silently flipped through it when he found what he was looking for.

"Here, _'when a person masters his Animagus form he is capable of turning into said form at any given time with or without his wand'_," Harry read aloud. He muttered to himself as he started to search for personalities. "'_Those who turn into dogs are very loyal to all friends and often very straight forward. Mostly they are common being of one solid color of usually black, white or tan often depending on their own hair color_'," Harry read as Ginny looked over his shoulder. "That would explain it. It almost fits perfectly, next time I'll have to really watch that dog."

Ron and Hermione found Harry slumped in a corner of the common room. They headed over his way and dumped handfuls of sweets into his lap.

"Whoa," Harry breathed, looking at all the different things. The labels read Ice Mice, Sugar Quills, Chocolate Wands and Acid Pops, among others.

"There was so much there!" Hermione said excitedly. They recounted their day to Harry, who was amazed at everything within Hogsmeade, though he was still sour about not being able to see it himself. After they had finished, Harry told them what he had been up to that day. Ron was particularly astounded that Lupin drank whatever potion it was that Snape had brought him.

"It could have been poisoned!" he exclaimed. They had finally left the common room and were on their way down to the Halloween feast in the Great Hall.

"Yes, but Snape wouldn't have poisoned Lupin if Harry was there. Even he's not that thick," Hermione chided, leading them into the Great Hall. It was decorated elaborately with huge jack-o-lanterns and clouds of live bats. Almost as soon as they had sat down, food appeared on the plates down the middle of the table. Everyone managed to have second helpings, even the older students who were full to bursting from Honeyduke's sweets. Ron was still going on about why Lupin drank a potion made by Snape as they were climbing the marble staircases.

"The dementors send their love, Potter!" Malfoy shouted from the bottom of the staircase.

"Just ignore the swarmy git," Ron said, thumping Harry on the back. Outside of the entrance to Gryffindor common room, they were held up by a throng of people.

"What's going on?" Hermione wondered.

"Probably Neville forgot the password again," Ron chuckled.

"Hey!" Neville cried from behind them.

"Oh, you're there," Ron said apologetically. Percy muscled his way through, shouting that he was Head Boy.

"Somebody get Professor Dumbledore, quickly. None of you are to enter this dormitory until it has been fully searched," Percy commanded. At his words, silence fell over the crowd of Gryffindors, starting at the front and working its way back.

"The Fat Lady," Ginny said, appearing in front of them. "She's gone." Dumbledore had finally arrived, Mr. Filch right behind him; as he pushed his way to the front of the crowd, Harry saw. The portrait that usually housed the Fat Lady had been viciously slashed, leaving strips of canvas hanging from the gilded frame.

"Mr. Filch, round up the ghosts and have them search the castle for the Fat Lady," Dumbledore said.

"No need, Headmaster. The Fat Lady's there," Filch said, pointing across the staircases to an African painting. Everyone rushed over to see, but Dumbledore was there first.

"Dear lady, who did this to you?" he asked gently.

"Eyes like the devil, he's got," she trembled, peeking out from behind a rhino. She had twigs and leaves stuck in her hair, a poor attempt at blending in. "And a soul as dark as his name. He's here, in the castle. The one they all talk about, Sirius Black!" With that, she sunk back out of sight with a shiver. Dumbledore ordered all of the Gryffindors to the Great Hall, where they met up with the other three houses. On the way down, Harry casually glanced over the banister and saw a massive black dog slinking away. He couldn't help but grin to himself as he swiftly dashed after the shaggy black dog

"Harry where you going?" asked Ron as the two quickly chased after him.

* * *

><p><strong>Hopefully you guys liked chapter. I'm hoping to have chapter four done by next Monday but I'm a very unpredictable author and it could very well be later.<strong>


	4. Trouble Begins To Brew

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything of this story. Harry Potter and all of the notable characters belong to J.K. Rowling.**

**This was a story idea that my boyfriend (starwarsdude8221991) wanted me to collab with him on. Basically, he came up with the main idea and I became the scribe. He is also the beta reader for this story.**

* * *

><p><span>Magnolia Crescent<span>

Chapter Four

Trouble Begins To Brew

"Harry! Where are you going?" Hermione cried, bounding down the stairs after him. Harry glanced over the banister once more; the dog was almost to the bottom. He hurried down the last staircase and saw the dog's tail disappear around a corner.

"Wait!" Harry and Hermione called together but for different reasons. Harry rounded the corner and saw the dog sitting there, watching them. He barked, leaping up and bunting his head once against Harry's hand.

"You're not a dog, are you?" Harry asked, trying to catch his breath. "You're an Animagus." With this statement the dog changed once again to a collective gasp from Ron and Hermione. Sirius Black stood before them, looking very grubby and tired.

"If I get caught," he snapped, "this is _your_ fault!"

"Sirius Black, what's he doing here?" Ron asked, astounded.

"That's what I wanted to know," Harry replied. "I want answers."

"Then ask away." Black spread his arms open.

"Why did you escape from Azkaban?" Hermione asked before Harry could open his mouth. Harry scowled.

"To commit the crime I was imprisoned for," Black snarled.

"Killing twelve muggles? I got news for you, you're not going to be able to do that here," Ron stated in disbelief.

"Not that one, a different one, when I supposedly killed Peter Pettigrew."

"I don't remember ever hearing about that murder," Ron stated.

"Well, ask a teacher or someone about it. Perhaps they can tell you," Black said.

"Well, how do you expect to find him if he's supposed to be dead?" Harry asked.

"It's quite simple," Black said. He never got a chance to say just how simple it was. He paused to listen and got a highly panicked look on his face. "Someone's coming," he whispered, moving as if to do a cartwheel. When he landed on his palms, they were giant black paws. The dog padded silently towards Harry and nudged his hand before slipping away into the shadows.

"Harry," Hermione hissed, when suddenly a figure loomed over them. They turned to see Snape glowering behind them.

"Professor," Ron started but was cut short as the greasy haired teacher swiftly cut him off.

"The three of you, to the Great Hall," he snapped. Hermione opened her mouth to speak. "Now!" he growled. Reluctantly, they complied, each wanting to say what they had seen but Snape did not allow them to speak.

Surprisingly, the Great Hall wasn't that crowded when every student had been given sleeping bags and found a spot to sleep. Harry, Ron and Hermione found a secluded corner away from everybody else and began to discuss what had happened in whispers. They weren't the only students whispering, either. The whole Hall was buzzing with whispered conversation coming from every corner. The Head Boy and Girl, who were left in charge, came down the rows of students, reprimanding those who were talking. Each of the candles and lanterns had been extinguished and the only light was that from the enchanted ceiling above. All over the Hall, students were ignoring Percy and contemplating how Black had gotten inside the school. Every idea they came up, Hermione quietly stamped out by hissing at Ron and Harry. Only Harry, Ron and Hermione had a pretty decent idea of how Black had really gotten into the school, but even they were unsure exactly what had happened.

"I've done the dungeons, Headmaster," Snape said, walking with Dumbledore close to Harry's row. "No sign of Black, nor anywhere else in the castle."

"I didn't really expect him to linger," Dumbledore commented.

"Quite a marvelous feat, to enter Hogwarts castle on one's own, completely undetected?" Snape trailed off, leaving it a question. Dumbledore didn't answer, so Snape went on. "You do remember my concerns prior to the start of term – "

"I do not think a single teacher in this castle would have helped Black to enter it," Dumbledore said, cutting Snape off. "I think the students will be quite safe to return to their Houses tomorrow. As for Harry, say nothing to him. For now let him sleep, for in dreams, we enter a world that is entirely our own." The two walked away silently as Harry stared blankly ahead.

'_I think it's time to find out who Peter Pettigrew is,_' Harry thought, wondering why Black seemed to so easily pop up on the school grounds.

Everywhere Harry went over the next few days, he heard students thinking of the different ways that Black had gotten inside. It seemed as though all of the teachers were now watching him very closely and Professor McGonagall thought it wise that Harry stop practicing Quidditich in the evenings. After complaining that he needed to practice, McGonagall obliged but only if Madam Hooch was on the field as well. Harry left her office feeling rather frustrated since even his favorite past time seemed more and more of a chore, especially when Oliver Wood cornered the entire team in the common room that night.

"Hufflepuff!" he shouted. "Slytherin backed out and now we're playing Hufflepuff!"

"Why'd they back out?" Fred asked.

"Because 'Malfoy's arm is still injured'. What a bunch of bull!"

"There's nothing wrong with Malfoy's arm!" Harry yelled, outraged.

"Yeah, well, we can't prove it. Hufflepuff has entirely different play tactics. This ruins all of our hard work!" Oliver dropped angrily into a chair.

"Why are you so worked up over it, Oliver" George asked.

"Yeah, Hufflepuff is a pushover. This match will be easy!" Fred chipped in.

"Everything is different. Their tactics, the conditions, even their team is different! We can't afford to relax and lose focus! We _have_ to win this match!" Oliver roared. Gryffindors from the other side of the common room fell silent and looked. Oliver quickly glanced down, avoiding the embarrassment he had just caused himself.

"Don't worry, Oliver. We'll make sure that we do our best," Kaite Bell, one of the Chasers, said as she thumped Oliver on the back.

The Friday before the match was very strange indeed. Oliver was so paranoid about Harry catching the Snitch that he frequently stopped Harry in the halls, providing tips and pointers. Harry's attempts at shaking him off were worthless as Oliver would continue talking to the point of making him late for class. Only when Harry realized that he was now ten minutes late for Defense Against the Dark Arts, did he successfully shake off Oliver. But Oliver was far from his worries when he entered his classroom.

"Sorry, Professor Lupin." But Professor Lupin wasn't there, which was highly unusual in itself. Harry quickly found his seat next to Ron, noting in the back of his mind that Hermione was not there.

Just as the class was wondering where Professor Lupin was, the door burst open to reveal a silhouetted figure. They waved their wand, causing the shutters to slam shut. Professor Snape strode to the front of the classroom, pulling down a projector screen.

"Turn to page 394," he drawled. Most of the class warily pulled their books out of their bags and did as instructed.

"Sir, where's Professor Lupin?" Harry asked, refusing to open his book.

"That is none of your concern, Potter. Suffice it to say that your professor finds himself incapable of teaching at the present time." Ron was idling flipping the pages when they suddenly flew open to the page Snape had requested.

"Werewolves?" Ron asked incredulously.

"But sir, we're not due to start nocturnal beasts for weeks," Hermione spoke, unexpectedly appearing beside Harry.

"I don't believe I asked your opinion, Granger," Snape said menacingly. "Now, which of you can tell me the difference between an Animagus and a werewolf?" The class was silent; Hermione's hand went immediately into the air. "No one? Pathetic…." Hermione could stand it no longer.

"Please, sir. An Animagus is a wizard who elects to turn into an animal; a werewolf has no choice. Moreover, a werewolf responds only to the call of its own kind."

"Miss Granger, that is the second time you've spoken out of turn. Tell me; are you incapable of restraining yourself? Or do you take pride in being an insufferable know-it-all?" Snape's tone was threatening, causing Hermione to blush furiously and bury her nose in her book. Nobody said anything as they were now deathly afraid of Snape. Seemingly pleased that no one was interrupting him, Snape continued on with the lesson.

"I expect two rolls of parchment on my desk Monday morning on how to kill a werewolf, plus particular emphasis on _recognizing_ it!" Snape demanded, dismissing the class when the bell rang. The class hurriedly exited the classroom, breaking into grumbles and groans the instant they were out of earshot.

"What's his deal?" Harry grumbled. "Does he have something against Lupin?"

"Who knows, I hope Professor Lupin comes back real soon though," Hermione mumbled. With their bad tempers at Snape, the rest of the day didn't go too well. There was a storm pounding the sides of the castle, gales of winds creating cold drafts in the hallways and a depressed mood throughout the entire school. The storm didn't stop that night either; it continued to brew and beat against the walls, leaving Harry dreading the conditions for the next morning.

The morning of the match didn't prove to be any better; if anything, it seemed as if the storm had worsened over the course of the night. When Harry awoke, it was while everyone else was asleep and still dark. Figuring he wasn't going to get anymore sleep against the storm, Harry dressed, grabbed his Nimbus and headed towards the common room. While he was shutting the door, Crookshanks attempted to bolt inside. Harry had just enough time to grab hold of his tail and stop him.

"Stay out, Crookshanks and leave Scabbers alone," Harry said. "There are plenty of other mice here." With nothing to do until breakfast was ready, Harry wandered around the corridors. He was pleased to see that Crookshanks was no longer in the common room, but was instead walking the castle beside Harry. Luckily, he didn't chance upon a teacher or Filch. After what seemed like hours, people began to exit their dormitories and head for the Great Hall for breakfast.

Harry ate his bowl of porridge greedily, as it eased his nerves. He was almost finished when the rest of the team filed in to sit beside him. Oliver looked glum, mumbling something about the match being "a tough one".

Oliver was pretty spot on; the entire school was running headlong for the pitch, heads bowed against the rain. A couple of students had lost their umbrellas, which were now tumbling through the wind. As the team headed down, the Slytherins began laughing at them. The Gryffindors attempted to counter this with weak smiles and thumbs up.

They were just about to leave the locker room and walk onto the pitch when Hermione caught Harry's sleeve. Without a word, she took his glasses from him and tapped them with her wand.

"_Impervius_!" She was beaming as she handed them back.

"What did that do?" Harry asked, perplexed.

"It's a spell to repel to water. It's pouring rain out there, and we need you to be able to see." With her job complete, Hermione bounded off to take her seat in the stands. Harry walked out onto the field, and surprisingly found that Hermione's spell did, in fact, work. The wind, coupled with the thunder, was so loud that Harry could barely hear a thing. He saw more than heard Madam Hooch telling them to mount their brooms and blowing the whistle to start the match.

Even though Harry's glasses repelled water, he was still very nearsighted. More than once a Bludger nearly unseated him and once he almost collided with another player. After circling for well-nigh ten minutes, Harry caught sight of it, the Golden Snitch. It was flitting upwards, having less difficulty than most of the players; Harry tore after it. Just as he was closing in on the Snitch, everything became very still and silent. The rain seemed to freeze in the air, feeling more and more like needles as they pelted Harry's skin. Dementors were encircling the stands, hooded faces pointed in his direction. Lightening flashed; Harry glanced into the stands, searching for Professor Lupin. Perhaps he was feeling better enough to have made it to the match? There was no sign of him; rather, he saw something relatively out of sorts – a large black dog, drenched from the rain, was sitting in the empty stands at the top.

_'Impossible, how is it Black seems to be everywhere at once?'_ Harry thought to himself, wondering if he was going mad or if Black was just that good. Harry didn't have time to think about why there was a dog there as the dementors were now ascending towards Harry. If it was possible for him to get any colder, he would have sworn that had happened.

"_Not Harry, please not Harry!_"

"_Stand aside, silly girl._" The woman was screaming again, and Harry could do nothing to help her. Why was she screaming? Harry's fingers went numb, unable to cling to his Nimbus any longer and he began to slip. He fell, losing consciousness on his way down.

"Looks a bit peaky, doesn't he?"

"Peaky? He just fell fifty feet!" Fred proclaimed.

"Yeah, c'mon, Ron. We'll walk you off the Astronomy Tower and see how you come out looking." This came from George.

"Probably a right sight better than he normally does," Harry mumbled. He opened his eyes to find that he was in the hospital wing with the entire Gryffindor Quidditich team surrounding his bed, along with Ron and Hermione.

"Harry! You're awake," Hermione noted.

"What happened?" Harry asked, wincing as he sat up against his pillows.

"You fell off your broom," Fred said.

"Really? I meant the match, who won?" Harry snapped. When no one answered, Harry assumed the worst.

"No one blames you, Harry. The dementors aren't allowed to come on the grounds; Dumbledore was furious," Hermione started.

"Where's Oliver?" Harry asked, cutting Hermione off.

"Still in the showers," Fred replied.

"I reckon he's trying to drown himself," George commented.

"Don't even bother asking about a rematch," Fred said, noticing that Harry had just opened his mouth to speak. "Oliver won't allow it, not even if Diggory demands one."

"But now we haven't got a shot at winning the Quidditch cup!" Harry complained.

"We might," Ron said. "But it's slim and it all depends on the points every other team manages to get during their matches."

"Out, Potter needs rest," Madam Pomfrey announced, shooing them all away.

"Can Ron and Hermione stay, please?" Harry petitioned. When he refused to stop, Madam Pomfrey assented only if they were quiet and Harry was resting in his bed.

"I saw Black again," Harry whispered as soon as Madam Pomfrey was out of earshot.

"What was he thinking?" Hermione cried in a loud whisper. Harry looked her oddly. Black was an escaped convict, why was Hermione defending him? On the same note, how come none of them had alerted Dumbledore to this fact? When he voiced both of these concerns, they tried brushing it off.

"Harry, I hate to be the bearer of bad news but, your broom. The wind sort of blew it into the Whomping Willow," Ron stated, attempting to change the subject. Harry just noticed the blanket wrapped bundle in his arms. "Well, you know it is…."

"Ron, why haven't you told any of the teachers that Black has been inside the castle more than once?" Harry asked in a controlled whisper.

"Well, I don't know, honestly. The thought never really crossed my mind," he shrugged.

"Hermione?" Harry asked simply.

"Oh, Harry," she cried. "My intuition is usually very good and almost always right. I think he's actually telling the truth; I think he's innocent." She had a look that begged for Harry to stop questioning her.

"And what about you, mate? Why haven't you told a teacher?" Ron asked.

Harry gaped, open-mouthed, for a moment before fumbling for words.

"Exactly my point," Ron said, crossing his arms over his chest.

When classes started again on Monday, his fellow Defense Against the Dark Arts students began complaining to Professor Lupin the moment he walked in. It was all about the same thing: Snape and the essay he had set them. Lupin reassured them that they need not do the essay. Hermione was devastated at hearing this ("I've already done it," she had cried). The lesson was fairly enjoyable but Harry was held back at the end of class by Lupin, who said that he wanted to have a word.

"I'm sorry to hear about your broom, is there nothing that can be done?"

Harry shook his head, not wanting the memories to crop back up.

"Professor, why do the dementors affect me so much?" Harry asked, curious.

"Simply because you have true horrors in your past that your classmates do not know about," Lupin replied.

"Professor, last time we talked, I asked if you could teach me how to repel a dementor. You didn't give me a straight answer," Harry asked, choosing his words carefully.

"Are you sure that's something you want to learn how to do? It's a very difficult spell," Lupin asked.

"Positive. If they show up at another Quidditch match, I have to be prepared," Harry stated. "Well, there's not much I can do right now. Perhaps next term; I have a lot of things to take care of," Lupin said. Then, as a side note, "I choose a rather bad time to fall ill."

Harry's mood took a definite upturn; Hufflepuff lost to Ravenclaw, allowing Gryffindor to still be in the running. The only downside was that this renewed Oliver's drive to win and he pushed his team harder than ever. The dementors had not been on the grounds as Dumbledore's fury had more than likely scared them on some level. Add to that the fact that Professor Lupin was more than likely going to teach Harry how to defend himself against the dementors.

With all of the excitement that Harry was now feeling, it came as a shock to him when Professor McGonagall came around asking who was staying during Christmas break.

"Already?" Harry asked Ron and Hermione, both of whom had decided to stay.

"Man, time has really flown," Ron agreed.

"When is the next Hogsmeade trip?" Harry asked, glancing around the Great Hall. Professors Flitwick and McGonagall were busy decorating the trees that Hagrid was carrying in. They were covered in magical snow, golden tinsel and real bioluminescent fairies. The suits of armor had been charmed to sing Christmas carols and everlasting icicles were covering the staircases.

"Last weekend of term, why?" Hermione asked cautiously.

"Well, seeing as I can't go into Hogsmeade, I figured that while you two were gone, I'd go and see Hagrid," replied Harry.

"Shouldn't you talk to McGonagall?" Hermione prompted.

"For what?" Harry grunted.

"About how the Dursley's treat you," explained Hermione angrily. To Harry's annoyance, Hermione began to list reasons why Harry should speak to McGonagall on this. On and on it went until finally she paused to take a breath and Harry seized the opportunity.

"Okay, Hermione! I got it; if I remember, I will talk to McGonagall," Harry assented, if only to get her off his back.

The days until the Hogsmeade trip passed slowly; when the day finally arrived, Harry walked with Ron and Hermione to the entrance hall, where he bid them goodbye and then proceeded to go back upstairs and collect his Invisibility Cloak. He knew he wasn't allowed on the grounds after dark but he also didn't know how long he was going to talk with Hagrid.

"Better safe than sorry for once," Harry mumbled under his breath. On a whim, he decided to disappear underneath the cloak and headed out into the snow.

"Look, there he is," George's voice carried in a whisper over the courtyard. He and Fred made their way nonchanatly towards the front doors; just as they passed Harry, they seized him somewhere near his arms and drug him along.

"Clever, Harry."

"But not clever enough."

"Besides, we've got a better way," they said in unison, clearly thinking that he was attempting to sneak into Hogsmeade. Once inside the castle, they led him into an empty classroom and yanked the cloak off of him. Before Harry could say a word, they held out a very old piece of folded parchment.

"Bit of an early Christmas present for ya," Fred commented. Harry unfolded the parchment, only to find that it was blank.

"What is it? A joke, so you give me a bit of rubbish?" Harry asked.

"Rubbish, he says," George repeated. "That there's the secret to our success."

"It's a wrench giving it to you, but," Fred said. "We've decided your needs are greater than ours."

"Anyways," George added with a wave of his hand. "We know it by heart. Fred, if you will."

Fred took out his wand and placed the tip upon the parchment. "_I solemnly swear that I am up to no good_." At once, ink burst forth on the parchment, twisting into lines and dots and words.

"A map?" Harry asked, astounded, when the ink had finally stopped moving. "'Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs, Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers, are proud to present The Marauder's Map'. You really are joking, right?"

"We owe them so much," George said, jokingly wiping his eye.

"This is Hogwarts," Harry noted. "And that's, no. Is that really?"

"Dumbledore."

"In his study."

"Pacing."

"Does that a lot, actually."

"So, this map shows everyone?" Harry asked.

"Everyone."

"Where they are."

"What they're doing."

"Every minute."

"Of every day." Harry was getting whiplash from the twins finishing each other's sentences.

"This is brilliant!" Harry grinned. "Where'd you get it?"

"Nicked it from Filch's office, of course," Fred proclaimed proudly. "First year. There are seven secret passageways out of the castle. We recommend…"

"This one," George stated, pointing it out on the map. It'll lead you straight into Honeyduke's cellar."

"When you're done, give it a tap and say '_mischief managed_'," the twins chimed. "Otherwise anyone can read it." They both turned towards the door.

"Mind you behave yourself," Fred said with a grin. With that, he left the room after his brother. Harry stood there, dumbstruck, thinking only that he was glad to have his Invisibility Cloak on him.

* * *

><p><strong>As always, let me know what you think. Hopefully the next chapter will be done in about a week!<strong>


	5. Illegally Hogsmeade

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything of this story. Harry Potter and all of the notable characters belong to J.K. Rowling.**

* * *

><p><span>Magnolia Crescent<span>

Chapter Five

Illegally Hogsmeade

Harry wasted no time in making his mind up. He reasoned that Black had yet to kill him and that he deserved some kind of break as it was Christmas. Besides, Fred and George had been using it for years and nothing had happened to them. Surely it was safe.

He quickly threw the Invisibility Cloak over his head and checked the map just in case. There was no one even on his floor. Relieved, he slipped out of the classroom and followed the map to Honeyduke's.

The passage was incredulously long; when it finally ended, it was at a trapdoor. Opening it just a crack, Harry peered out and made sure no one down there. Just as he was about to push the door open and climb out, one of the shopkeepers came downstairs.

"Make sure you grab a box of Sugar Quills; we're nearly out!" a woman yelled from the top of the stairs. The shopkeeper grabbed his needed boxes and disappeared upstairs once more. After a few minutes of silence, Harry pushed open the trapdoor and entered Honeyduke's cellar. It was piled high with boxes and the floor seemed to be covered in a fine layer of dust. Quietly, he slipped up the stairs and found himself behind the counter. No one seemed to look twice at Harry as the shop was crowded with so many Hogwarts students.

The shelves were lined with many brightly colored sweets, most of which had varying side effects. There were vast amounts of Every Flavor Beans, Fizzing Whizbees; rows of toffees and different chocolates. Along a wall titled "Special Effects", Harry seen Droobles Best Blowing Gum, Toothflossing Stringmints, Pepper Imps and Ice Mice. Not to mention, tons of other sweets that Harry couldn't seem to comprehend.

In a corner of the shop, Harry saw Ron and Hermione standing under a sign that read "Unusual Tastes". Harry moved over there quietly and heard them discussing what to buy for him. Right now, the item in question was a blood flavored lollipop.

"What? No, Harry definitely wouldn't want one of those!" Hermione said.

"What about these, then?" Ron said, gesturing to a jar of Cockroach Clusters.

"You obviously don't know me," Harry said, still hidden under the Cloak. Ron jumped so badly that he nearly knocked over a display of Spindle's Lick'O'Rish Spiders. Hermione gaped, eyes roaming to see where he was.

"Harry! You're not supposed to be here!" Hermione cried.

"Relax, Herms. It's Christmas, I think Harry needs a break," Ron said, causing Hermione to stare at him.

"Where did that come from?" Hermione asked.

"Where did what come from?"

"The nickname!" said Hermione.

"Oh, well," Ron stuttered slightly. "I don't know. It just sort of came to me. Do you not like it?"

"I'm not sure yet. I've never had a nickname before," Hermione thought aloud.

"Anyways, how did you get here without getting caught?" Ron asked.

"Maybe later; I don't want any of the other students to hear how," Harry whispered, gliding around the shop and picking out candies he wanted to try.

"What about Black?" Hermione hissed. Ron cleared his throat and pointed to a sign in the window as they left. Harry read through it quickly. The Ministry of Magic was issuing dementor patrols every night.

"There's no way that Black would even bother coming to Hogsmeade," Ron said. Wrapping his arms around him, he added, "how about we go into the Three Broomsticks and a get a butterbeer? It's freezing outside!"

They battled their way through the wind and snow towards a tiny inn. Ron had barely opened the door, however, when the wall of shrunken heads began to yell at him.

"Hey! No underage wizards allowed in today!" one barked.

"Shut the damn door!"

"Wait a minute! Madam Rosmerta changed her mind," one towards the end said just as Ron was shutting the door. "They're allowed in!"

"Awesome!" Ron said, pushing the door back open. Harry, who had removed his Cloak, found a table with Hermione while Ron went to get their drinks. A few minutes later, Ron returned with three foaming tankards of butterbeer. Harry immediately took a deep drink; it was the best thing he had ever tasted; it had a buttery taste and warmed him from the inside out.

Before Harry could put down his glass, the door of the pub swung open. Professors McGonagall and Flitwick walked in coated in snow, followed closely by Hagrid and the Minister of Magic. Ron and Hermione instinctively pushed Harry beneath the table, butterbeer still in his hand. Harry watched as they sat down at a table near them but still out of sight and heard them proceed to order drinks. Madam Rosmerta, the barmaid, returned a few minutes later and handed out the drinks before sitting down.

"Now, what could possibly bring Sirius Black to Hogsmeade?" she hissed in a whisper. They had clearly talked before Harry could hear or even before he had arrived.

"Harry Potter," Fudge replied in a voice just as low.

"What?" Madam Rosmerta said incredulously, her voice rising. "Oh, this I got to hear."

"I'm sure you heard about it thirteen years ago. When the Potter's were marked for death," McGonagall said. "Few knew where they were. One who did was Sirius Black."

"Yes, I've heard this. He told You-Know-Who and the rest of that night is history. However, I told everyone afterwards that Black was the last I expected of that gang to go over to the Dark Side."

"Tell that to Peter Pettigrew!" Fudge said, cutting Rosmerta off. She scoffed, and he continued. "When You-Know-Who died, or whatever it was he did, that night, Black went mad. Even more so when Pettigrew – "

"Remind me again who Pettigrew was," Rosmerta asked.

"Little lump of a boy, always trailing after Potter and Black," McGonagall said.

"Anyways," Fudge cleared his throat. "After the Potters were murdered, Pettigrew knew that Black had sold them out."

"Dumbledore had insisted that they go under the Fidelius Charm. Which they did, and James insisted on making Black their Secret-Keeper," Flitwick interjected.

"Thank you," Fudge hissed vehemently. "Pettigrew was angered that Black had sold them out and sought revenge. Unluckily for Pettigrew, he found Black down some Muggle alley." Fudge paused, clearly waiting to see if anybody else was going to interrupt him.

"That unlucky?" Rosmerta said, horrified.

"Black was vicious," Fudge continued. "He didn't just kill Pettigrew, he destroyed him!"

"Yeh, an' all they found o' Pettigrew was his finger," Hagrid pointed out, voice beginning to slur.

"Well, I'll say this: Black may not have put his hands to the Potters, but he's the reason they're dead," McGonagall said. "And to top it all off, Sirius Black was, and remains to this day, Harry Potter's godfather." Harry nearly dropped his tankard, jaw hitting his chest, wondering how Black could have pulled one over on his parents. Vaguely he heard chairs scraping against the stone floor and turned to see feet moving towards the door. A single pair, however, remained. Harry watched as they moved towards their table.

"Miss Granger," McGonagall said. "Mr. Weasley, you wouldn't happen to know where in the castle Mr. Potter might be?"

"He said something during the week about visiting Hagrid, but we just seen him here," Hermione said.

"I wonder if he's trying to get more accustomed to the school brooms," Ron said. "Maybe the Quidditich field?"

"Well, should you head back to the school and find him, would you tell him to come and see me. I received a letter this morning stating that he had been given permission to visit Hogsmeade."

"That doesn't sound like the Dursley's," Hermione thought aloud. "Perhaps it's a joke?" she offered lightly.

"Well," McGonagall pondered. "That's what I thought. However, Professor Dumbledore believes it to be real and has agreed to give Harry permission to visit the village."

"Excellent," Ron smiled. "We can finally show him Zonko's and Honeydukes!"

"If you would be so kind," McGonagall reminded. "Good day." After she had exited the pub, Harry pushed his way back into his chair.

"Whoa, talk about information overload," he sighed. "Black really is my godfather, plus the reason why my parents are gone and I can actually visit the village. I wonder if Black really did kill all those Muggles and Pettigrew. Only one way to find out I suppose." They headed out into the village, wondering when they were going to run into Black again.

"Hey, Granger! Looking good!" a voice called, wolf whistling as they walked backwards. Harry turned and saw a blonde Slytherin boy winking towards Hermione. "Can I buy you a butterbeer? Might make you smoking."

"Not that you need it though," one of his friends added.

She blushed, turning away and pulling Ron and Harry with her.

"Who was that?" Ron said angrily.

"His name's Leo Holmes. He's a third year whose been flirting with me all year," Hermione replied quietly.

"And you've just let him?" Ron was oddly outraged.

"What am I supposed to do?" Hermione hissed back. "He's well within his rights to flirt with anyone he pleases, probably even if it were to bother them."

"Just be glad that there's at least one Slytherin who doesn't hate our guts," Harry said.

"Well, I still don't like it," Ron grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest. "How do you even know him?"

"Holmes is in Ancient Runes with me," Hermione said. "And surprisingly, for a Slytherin, he's also in my Muggle Studies class." This only served to make Ron even more upset. Harry was beginning to have his suspicions but said nothing about it to either one of them. In fact, he stayed out of the conversation.

"Look at the swarmy git, thinks he so cool with his hair tied back like that," Ron complained.

"Please, Ron. Just drop it, he's only flirting with me," Hermione shot back.

"Guys, shut up and look," Harry commanded, pointing down the street. There was a shaggy black dog rounding a corner. Harry bolted after it, leaving Ron and Hermione wondering vaguely what was going on before they ran after him as well.

"Black!" Harry hissed, following the dog through houses until they reached a thicket of trees.

"I do hope Lily left you some common sense!" Black hissed back. "Ministry employees are all over Hogsmeade and you had the nerve to say my name!"

"Sorry, I didn't realize," Harry said, trailing off. "Were you really my parents Secret-Keeper?"

"For a time, but we changed people because I had a slight fear of dying at the time, among other reasons, which I completely regret now."

"What about the Muggles you killed? Why did you do that?"

"Wasn't me," Black said, anxiously glancing around the tree trunks. "Look, if this is what you guys want to talk about, can we meet in the Forbidden Forest later tonight? Or even tomorrow? Hogsmeade is not the safest place for me right now."

"No problem," Hermione said. Harry gaped a little at her. "We'll meet up later." She tugged hard on Harry's sleeve; finally he followed after, looking just as dejected as Ron.

Ron was still grumbling about Hermione's Slytherin admirer all the way back through the village. Harry decided to take the Honeydukes shortcut back in, as it was drier and windless. They decided to meet in the common room before anything else. It wasn't long before Harry was making his way to the Owlery to find Hedwig. Without knowing when Black was going to be in the forest, they sent Hedwig with a letter asking when he would return.

"You wanted to see me, Professor?" Harry asked, tapping lightly on McGonagall's door. He already knew what she wanted but had to pretend otherwise. And so, he swung by her office on his way back to the common room.

"Yes, Potter. Come on in," McGonagall announced. She was sitting behind her desk, appearing to be grading papers. "A letter was received at Hogwarts earlier today stating that you had been given permission to visit Hogsmeade."

"Really?" Harry asked, appearing surprisingly excited. "My uncle practically refused to sign my permission form over break, and I highly doubt that they would know how to use an owl or even be so kind as to give me permission this late in the year. Do you know who it was from?"

"I'm afraid not, Potter. The note was only signed Padfoot," McGonagall said, rifling through her papers and handing a slip of parchment to Harry.

_ATTN: Head of Gryffindor House_

_ This letter is to give Harry Potter, a third year student, permission to visit Hogsmeade. I realize that his aunt and uncle are Muggles and tend to be the 'worst sort', and because of that, it is highly unlikely that they would give Mr. Potter permission to visit the village. Hogsmeade is a school experience that no student should have to miss. As Mr. Potter has no living relatives, other than those Muggles, it can be assumed that he would not be getting permission to visit anytime soon. Therefore, I give Harry Potter permission to visit Hogsmeade village._

_ Sincerely, Padfoot._

_P.S. If it is unclear as to whom I am, I can assure you that if you have any questions, Professor Dumbledore can attest to the authenticity of this letter and of its author._

"As you can imagine, I took it straight to Professor Dumbledore," McGonagall sighed, taking the parchment back from Harry. "However, despite my protests, the author was right. Dumbledore trusts whoever this Padfoot person may be and has agreed to give you permission to visit the village."

"Awesome, thank you, Professor," Harry said, truly excited now.

"Potter, before I release you there has been a slight concern about your wellbeing, with the events of last year and the recent escape of Sirius Black. I have had growing concerns about your welfare," the professor commented giving him a stern glance.

"Nothing's wrong, Professor, all and all I have been in one piece and everything I got into was my own choice. Nothing really Professor, and I doubt Black will be any trouble with recent security," Harry answered honestly.

"That's good to hear, Mr. Potter but if anything were to come up please feel free to come and talk to me," Professor McGonagall smiled.

"I know that Professor, but I don't have much time and I would like to visit with some of my friends," Harry replied as he looked back at the door.

"As it were, the dinner hour is almost upon us and there isn't time today to be visiting. I'm afraid you'll have to wait until next time." She answered Harry nodded in agreement when his stomach suddenly growled.

"That's fine, at least now I can go to Hogsmeade with Ron and Hermione." Harry wondered briefly if he should just give in to Hermione and be honest with Professor McGonagall, but he decided against it.

"Now, I expect that Mr. Weasley and Miss Granger will be returning any moment, I suggest you go and wait for them," McGonagall said, clearly shooing him away. Harry glanced over his shoulder as he left to see a smile on her face. He made his way through the castle, eager to freely visit Hogsmeade and wondering if Hedwig might have already returned with Sirius's reply.

"This has been a very odd day," Harry said, as he sat down next to Ron.

"Tell me about it," Hermione said, pulling her Potions book towards her. Just as Harry was about to reply, there was a tap at the window. Outlined against the setting sun, Hedwig perched on the ledge. Harry rushed over and wrenched open the window; Hedwig flew inside, circled once and landed on Harry's shoulder.

"Wow, that was fast," Hermione breathed, coming over to remove Hedwig's delivery. She hooted softly and nipped gently at Harry's ear.

"Black says that he's already back in the forest. He's waiting for us in that paddock where he met you earlier this year," Hermione read.

"Let's eat dinner real quick and then we'll go. We'll take the Invisibility Cloak as well, just in case," Harry said, heading towards the dormitories. Soon, he was back downstairs with the cloak under his arm.

After they ate a hurried meal, Ron and Harry found an empty corner where no one could see them and slipped beneath the cloak. Hermione was at the front door; when she noticed that Harry and Ron had arrived, she led them towards the forest, veering slightly towards Hagrid's cabin in case anybody was looking. She circled around it followed the line of trees until she encountered the paddock. Just beyond the fence, Harry could make out the outline of Black in his dog form. When he saw they had arrived, he transformed and looked at them apprehensively.

"I think it's time to be completely honest with you, Harry," Black said. "What exactly would you like to know?"

"Why are you an Animagus?" Hermione asked. "Your name isn't on the registered list."

"Well, let's just say that we found it to be highly useful, your father and I, that is," Black replied, looking at Harry.

"Could you teach me how?" Harry asked impulsively.

"Harry, what are you thinking?" Hermione shouted. "Becoming an Animagus is really risky. You have to register with the Ministry, and besides, I think you have to be of a legal age."

"Do you really think that matters?" Ron said. "I mean, Black and Harry's father did and they were still in school as well."

"What do you know of becoming an Animagus?" Black asked.

"That it's supposed to be a really difficult process," Harry shrugged. "I don't know much, I zoned that day in class. My Divination teacher predicted my death so I was a little preoccupied." Black balked slightly, but shook his head, smiling.

"Alright, I'll try my best to teach you how. I noticed that you play Quidditich, so that will obviously take up some time. What nights do you have free?" Black asked. Hermione's jaw dropped. Ron simply smiled.

"Mainly Monday and Tuesday. Anything towards the end of the week will probably be taken up with Quidditch practice," Harry replied after thinking for a moment.

"Alright, this is your holiday break; I heard students and teachers alike talking about it, so your free time is quite multiplied. I want you to meet me in this paddock on Tuesday night at 9:00. Ron, Hermione, you can come if you like but I don't think I'm up to teaching all three of you how to do this," Black said.

"Thank you, Black," Harry said, holding out his hand. Startled, Black shook his hand, before shooing him towards the school. Christmas break seemed a lot more fun now. Hermione quickly said that she disapproved of Harry's becoming an Animagus. Ron, on the other hand, thought that it would be pretty neat to be able to transform at will into an animal. After that, Ron mentioned that he would let Harry go to the first lesson by himself and would quite possibly join him the next time.

* * *

><p><strong>Let me know what you guys think of Leo Holmes. As always, R&amp;R. Thanks!<strong>


	6. The Gryffindor Dogs

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything of this story. Harry Potter and all of the notable characters belong to J.K. Rowling.**

* * *

><p><span>Magnolia Crescent<span>

Chapter Six

The Gryffindor Dogs

"Okay Harry, you want to become an Animagus," Black started. "Well, you need to be warned, this isn't easy and it's painful and dangerous. Not to mention the legal problems as well; you must either inform the ministry as soon as possible or never tell them and never get caught."

"Why is that?" Harry asked, looking up at his godfather. Black frowned.

"It's about ten years in Azkaban, and trust me, even that's enough to break a man," Black said, frowning even more. His expression took a sudden upturn as he continued talking. "So, the first part is rather simple in its execution. The problem, however, is that it requires some time. That is if we don't have any problems with the witch," Black smirked as he looked at Hermione.

Though Harry had thought, and expected, them to stay in the castle, Hermione insisted that both she and Ron accompany Harry. She wouldn't outright say it, but Harry had a sinking suspicion that she didn't trust Black. And so, even though Ron had agreed to let Harry go by himself, Hermione had threatened to not help him with homework if he didn't come. It didn't take very long for Ron to cave after that.

"I've already said my peace," Hermione frowned, still not agreeing with the idea.

"Well, I've got to starve you. You need to stay here and when you start to feel hungry, eat this," Black smiled weakly, handing Harry a small piece of meat.

"Black, there is something that is bothering me. Who taught you how to become an Animagus?" Hermione asked, a little curious.

"Well, it was your father and I," Black smirked, looking over at Harry. "We were trying to turn into animals, don't even ask why because I won't tell you. Just know we weren't getting into trouble because of it, however, we managed to get a good amount of information but as for the final things, we were at a loss. On a stroke of luck, we ran into a man called Brom. He was from America and they happened to be a lot more relaxed about their magical laws. As he was unaware of differing magic laws from country to country, he taught us how to complete it," Black finished, shrugging.

"Brom, that name sound familiar," Hermione said, a thoughtful expression on her face. "If I remember correctly, he's a well know wizard from America and a good friend of Dumbledore's, if you can call him that. Brom hasn't done anything amazing but he is the headmaster of the Salem School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. Sadly, since the American schools are still very new and young, they haven't been able to compete in the Triwizard Tournaments," she explained. Everyone blinked in surprise.

"Is there anything she doesn't know?" Ron asked, leaning against a tree.

"Alright, the American magical system is very different than ours. Students aren't eligible for a wand until they've completed their first year of education. They are much stricter on wand magic and have more Unforgivable curses. Americans wizards are closely connected to their Muggle counterparts and there is only one city that is entirely magical. On the other hand, wandless magic is hardly regulated. Runes, charmed items, and even Animagi are all decisions left to the parent and individual. That just so happened to work out well for James and me."

"And now I'm bored. If I wanted to be lectured, I would've stayed at the castle. Can we please get back to the matter at hand?" Ron slightly demanded. Hermione scowled but said nothing.

"Right, the whole reason we're out here, to start. Harry," Black smirked, clapping his hands together. "Just eat when you are hungry and face whatever appears before you." He paused to glance over at the other two. "Now then, since we need to leave, I think it is fair to warn you: this is the make it or break it part. If this goes south, this could change him forever. I won't lie; what you see may have lasting effects, Peter wasn't the same man after he changed. So let's hope you're like your father and see what kind of man you are," Black gave a slightly pained smile.

"If this is so dangerous, why are we leaving him?" Hermione asked skeptically as they walked away.

"Tell you what, if Harry dies, you can take me back to the school at wand point. Go on, take it out. I know you have the guts and skill for it," Black said. Hermione glared but took out her wand anyways. They both looked over at Ron, but he made no move to grab his own wand.

"Let's go," Hermione grumbled.

"Hey, Ron, out of curiosity, you wouldn't happen to have a pet rat would you?" Black asked, a light smile on his face. Ron looked at him oddly but didn't answer.

Harry started to pace the small clearing, not really seeing the point of this exercise. After an hour or so, his stomach started to growl. "Should have asked when I was done. I have no idea what I am doing," he mumbled aloud as he ate the meat Black had given him. "Not bad," he shrugged.

He finally sat down against a tree and slowly drifted off to sleep. When he woke up, the forest around him looked full of mist and fog. Looking around, Harry tried to get his bearings. Everything looked clear but it also seemed fuzzy.

"Hello Harry," a voice said. Harry spun around quickly only to step back in surprise. For standing there before him was his father.

"Dad?" Harry asked, looking up at the man. James nodded, looking down at his son with admiration.

"So, have you been staying true to your friends?" James asked. Harry blinked, unsure what was going on.

"Of course. I went into the Chamber of secrets to save Ron's sister. Because I was loyal to Dumbledore, I got help down there as well. I'm true to my friends, no matter what," Harry smiled confidently.

"Be true to them and you will be true to me. I value friends more than anything in the world, Harry." James smiled, slowly fading into the mist. Harry blinked, trying to run after his father but a gentle hand on his shoulder stopped him. He wasn't as surprised when he saw that it was his mother behind him.

"Harry," she smiled. "Have you defended those in need?" Harry was a bit bewildered as he thought back.

"Well, there was a time when Malfoy was teasing Neville. I stood up for him even when he wasn't there," Harry admitted after a few moments thought.

"Good, show kindness to those who need it and you will show kindness to me," she smiled, brushing his hair out of his eyes before vanishing as well.

"Loyalty," snapped a voice Harry recognized as Professor Quirrell. "We both know they showed no kindness. The school blamed you for something you had no part in. All because you could talk to snakes; where is that loyalty now? When you are all but abandoned by your friends, when you feel their fear, you turn just like that." He sneered down at Harry.

"When it was all done, I still did what I had to; Hermione was safe and everything was fine in the end. I don't blame those who fear me. In the end, I will always be loyal," Harry countered.

"LIAR!" Quirrell shouted, charging at Harry before turning to dust once again. Harry reached for his wand when his father appeared with Quirrell, but they vanished.

"Kindness, what foolishness is that. You gain nothing but a weak back," Tom Riddle leered. "In the end, you will be walked on until there is nothing left of you. Your kind heart has gotten you into two life and death situations, not to mention over ten years of abuse. Instead of doing something, you have allowed a small group of Muggles to pin you down and degrade you!" Tom accused. "You are no wizard, you are a door mat!"

"And yet, I'm still here while you're still a memory!" Harry called. Tom drew his wand and green light burst from the end towards Harry; before it hit, Lily appeared before him. Harry tried to stop her but when the spell hit, they both faded back to mist.

"Dear Harry, you brave soul. Even now, you still show us that you are made of amazing things," Dumbledore said, appearing before Harry. He said no more, simply faded to mist. A dog bark sounded from the fog; a black and tan dog bounded forward, sitting at Harry's feet. Instinctively, Harry reached dog to pat his head.

Harry shot up, gasping as he looked around. The forest was now pitch black. Black stood over him, Ron and Hermione not too far away. When Hermione saw that Harry was awake, she hastily put her wand away and walked over to him.

"Now that the worst is behind, what animal did you see?" Black asked, helping Harry sit up. He blinked a few times, trying to find a way to describe it before he answered.

"A black and tan dog, with a small lightning bolt scar on its face," he replied. Black looked about ready to dance at Harry's answer.

"Yes, take that James!" he murmured and laughed. The others looked at him oddly. "I think that's all for today. There a few things I need to set up before the next lesson. Besides, you probably should find something real to eat and get some rest. A busy vacation lies ahead of us."

"Bloody hell! Get that cat away from Scabbers!" Ron shouted as he batted the cat away. Harry panicked, grabbing the cat and prying it away. Crookshanks quickly dashed off as Ron looked down at his rat. The poor thing was looking worse for wear every day. Ron stormed downstairs to the common room, with one intention – to complain to Hermione. Harry hurried after him, hoping to contain their arguing.

"You better keep that bloody pig away from Scabbers!" Ron scolded hotly, Crookshanks purring contently in Hermione's arms. Harry sighed, walking in on them practically growling at each other.

"Not to cut this short but I have lessons. Please, can you two figure a way to settle this? I care about my two best friends and I don't want them fighting over their pets," Harry frowned, walking to the portrait hole.

They looked at each other for a moment, surprise flickering over their features. Hermione quickly dashed after him, Crookshanks still in her arms, for she still didn't trust Black.

Harry pulled his Cloak over his head, not wanting to be spotted and headed for the forest. When he finally arrived at their meeting place, he pulled some food he'd nicked and tossed it to the hulking black dog who immediately transformed.

"You are a life saver, you know that? I think we should move our lessons farther away from the school. I'm a little uncomfortable being this close," Black said, devouring the food before him.

"Where? I can't think of a good place where no one will find us," Harry said.

"I know just the place. However, the path is a little dangerous," Black warned. Harry nodded when somebody moved into the area.

"Hermione!" Harry realized, a little shocked that she had found him.

"Footprints," she breathed out as she looked over at Harry. Black looked down at his own feet, concern on his face.

"Perhaps its best I show you," he smirked, turning into the dog and running through the snow. Ron had just stumbled in when Harry and Hermione took off.

"Give me a break," he grumbled, dashing off after them. They stopped in the grounds before the Whomping Willow. Black quickly moved in and dodged the branches. They tree suddenly stopped moving; Black reappeared, motioning for them to follow. Ron shuddered as Harry moved in. Black pointed out a knot in to the tree that would immobilize it.

"How did you know about this?" Hermione asked, eyeing Black suspiciously. He gave her a rather large grin before responding.

"Let's just say I took this path a lot, and leave it at that," he said as they walked down the path below the Willow. "Welcome to the Shrieking Shack. From now on you can find me here, except on full moons as we will have those off. Let us begin."

"He seems a little too happy," Ron whispered to Hermione. "To be honest, it's creeping me out a little."

"He's been like that since Harry told him the animal he saw was a dog. Since Black turns into one, I guess he's happy that Harry's taking after him," Hermione explained.

"Great, another loony to deal with in the world. Just what we need – Harry turning into a convict," Ron joked. Hermione glared at him. "If that did happen, that would be very bad," he added as he quickly looked away.

Around midday, Black ended their lesson. Harry, on the other hand, wanted to continue.

"Black, I feel like I got nothing done. Are you sure you know what you're doing?" he asked, not feeling so good about it.

"This is going to take a long time; it's not something you can master overnight. To be fair, I will contact my mentor and see if he knows any tricks I can use," Black mused. "All the same, head back to school and come meet me once a week after classes on Tuesday." Harry nodded as they headed back to the grounds.

"So Harry, been meaning to ask you – what did you see outside of the dog?" Ron asked.

"Ron, you wouldn't believe me even if I told you," Harry smiled. They had reached the mouth of the tunnel and Harry looked back at Black. The man waved, looking a bit healthier than when they first met. "Next time, remind me to bring him some soap. These lessons would be much nicer if he didn't smell like a bum," Harry laughed, nudging Ron with his elbow.

"Hey!" Black hollered, not far behind them. He morphed into the dog, chasing them out of the tree and onto the grounds. Harry, Ron and Hermione ran to the castle, laughing, as Black barked and headed for the trees. "You would be proud, my friend," he thought, thinking of James.

* * *

><p><strong>This chapter was written by starwarsdude8221991, who came up with the story idea. He also came up with the idea for the Animagus transformation. Hopefully you guys enjoy this chapter and, as always, please R&amp;R!<strong>


	7. The Innocent Plan

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything of this story. Harry Potter and all of the notable characters belong to J.K. Rowling.**

* * *

><p><span>Magnolia Crescent<span>

Chapter Seven

The Innocent Plan

Sirius Black frowned, looking up at the castle, pawing the ground as he paced the cold, packed snow. Ideas and plans bounced around in his head. He contemplated whether or not he should ask Ron about the rat, though doing so would be unbelievable and with Hermione around, he could kiss any chance of getting a wand goodbye.

"So what's the next step?" Harry asked, walking into the clearing and noting the dog. Black shifted back as the rest of the next generation Marauder's appeared.

"We brought you a clean change of clothes; no offense, but your smell has become really bothersome," Hermione admitted sheepishly as she pulled out a clean set of clothes along with some soap. "I don't know if it'll fit or not but it's better than what you have right now," she commented, gingerly handing the clothing to him. As soon as his hands wrapped around it, she jumped back, almost afraid to touch him.

"Thank you," Black said sincerely, looking over at Ron but seeing no sign of Peter.

"What?" Ron asked, glancing around.

"Nothing," Black shrugged, looking back at Harry. Sighing, he turned his mind away from revenge and back to the matter at hand. "Next step is partial transformations. As a dog, this will make things much easier; increased smell and hearing plus loss of color. I have a few books I will need you to memorize on canine physiology. I would recommend starting with the ears or the nose. This would be a lot easier to show the finer points if I had a wand," Black grumbled, looking over at Hermione. Taking a deep breath, "but we will have to make do with what we have." He took out a piece of paper and began to illustrate the shift.

"Now then, you're going to need to hold onto your wand and I want you to follow my instruction the best you can. And be ready to run to the nurse as soon as possible if anything goes wrong," Black warned.

"Right, he was practicing transfiguration and screwed it up," Ron repeated. Hermione shook her head hopelessly, Harry concentrating on his nose.

"I don't trust him," Hermione commented, watching Black and Harry work. Ron glanced over at her.

"How many times are you going to say that?" Ron asked, exasperated. Hermione opened her mouth to speak but Ron continued. "I know you don't but he's harmless and we know a lot about him, like why he escaped. At this point, we could turn him in, but I think this is amazing, being able to turn into animals. Besides, so long as we don't do anything stupid, we could milk this for weeks," Ron smiled.

"I don't like it. It seems odd that the man who supposedly wants to kill Harry is now teaching him. Even more so that he would do such a thing at the risk of being captured. It's not logical," Hermione reasoned, looking over to Ron and hoping for some kind of answer.

"We may not know the whole story," Ron shrugged. "My dad always told me that an Animagus form reflects who they are as a person. If Black is a dog, that would mean he's very loyal." Hermione at him like he had grown another head. "What?"

"I just didn't think you would be the one to talk me down," she admitted. Ron blinked.

"What's that supposed to mean?" he asked, a little concerned. She smiled knowingly, Ron frowning, even more confused than before.

"So, if you didn't betray my father, who did?" Harry asked.

"That's why I came here to begin with. James, Remus, and I, along with a boy named Peter Pettigrew," Black started to explain. "We were all best friends, James and I were the best of friends." Black added, beaming with pride. Harry noticed that he seemed to brighten a bit at the memory. "Back when Voldemort was running around, we were part of a group led by Dumbledore to fight against him. Your parents soon became a target, though no really knows why. Voldemort never tended to have reasons for the murders he committed. Anyways, we found out about it and wanted to protect you and your family. So Dumbledore suggested a piece of magic known as the Fidelus Charm, or Secret-Keeper."

"What exactly is a Secret-Keeper?" Harry asked.

"It means that a single person is trusted with information so long as they don't give it up, the secret stays safe," Hermione interjected. Black simply nodded in agreement.

"Well, I was the Secret-Keeper for a while, but being your father's best friend placed me as the prime suspect. It was trying, and I was targeted for a while until," Black paused, taking a breath. "I broke. I begged your father to pick someone else, someone who wouldn't be suspected." Black's shoulders dropped at this statement. "I realize now that I shouldn't have, that I should have stuck with it because maybe James and Lily would still be alive. I was just so tired from all of the Death Eater attacks and everything that came with being a Secret-Keeper. I regret that more than anything. We ended up asking our weakest friend, Peter. Remus and I were sadly having issues so we didn't trust each other."

"Remus? As in Professor Lupin?" Harry blinked. "You two are old friends?"

"If you can say that, I don't know how he would react if he saw me now. Anyways, mistrust was common, you didn't know who was really working with Voldemort or was cursed. So we asked Peter and you can put two and two together. I got to relax maybe one or two days before I remembered the house where you were living. I panicked, wanting to make sure that Peter was doing his job, but when I got there, I was too late. The house was destroyed, James and Lily were dead and Hagrid had already found you. I told him that I had been named the godfather but the oaf," Black snarled, stopping when he saw Harry frowning.

"Good natured as he is, he wouldn't let me take you, kept insisting that we hand you over to the Muggles. 'Got to take him to Dumbledore, I gots orders'," Black grumbled darkly. "I knew what had happened. I tracked that no good rat down and confronted him. Unfortuneatly, he let off a curse, killing the Muggles right after he chopped his finger off and transformed. Because I was there, I got hit with the murder rap and got trapped in Azkaban for twelve years." Ron and Hermione blinked at the harsh tone Black's voice had taken.

"So, Pettigrew is alive then?" Hermione inquired gently. Black simply nodded. "Well, if that's the case, we should be able to prove you're innocent. We may not know where Pettigrew is but I read recently about a device called a Pensieve; you can store memories inside it. From the sounds of it, they're not too hard to make either, then we can check your memories and show them to the right people," she smiled.

"That would require giving me a wand, as well as evidence that I didn't do it. There a few enchantments needed and it would take some time to put one together," Black informed.

"A wand," Hermione mused, frowning. Black gave her a tired award-winning smile.

"Still don't trust me?" he asked lightly as she shook her head. "Too much to ask, I guess. Tell you what, you get it fixed and talk to Lupin. He should be willing to keep me in line," Black offered confidently.

"But what if he doesn't believe you're innocent?" Ron asked. "I mean, I heard you didn't get a trial and nobody asked about it or visited. I don't know if he would be so quick to help," Ron admitted. Black darkened at that prospect.

"Harry, you could talk to him about it. Besides, I'm sure that if not, I could find him and talk to him," Black smiled confidently.

"How?" asked Harry.

"I have my ways, nothing to worry about. In the meantime, I will be looking into Peter myself and if you need, I can help out with Pensieve," Black offered.

"Thanks, but no thanks. I can handle it myself; it's not too complicated, it just takes time. Besides, you would need a wand and we still don't trust you," Hermione pointed out. Black nodded glumly.

"Right, let's not forget that Harry's got Quidditich practice coming up as well," Ron mentioned.

"That's hardly important," Hermione frowned, hoping to have Harry help her with the Pensieve.

"Tell that to Wood, it's his last year. Plus, he's determined to win the Quidditich Cup once before he leaves," Ron replied, a sly smile on his face. Harry swallowed.

"Harry, did you know that your father – " Black started.

"Yeah, first year. Harry is the youngest seeker in a century. Same year, we found out that his dad was a seeker as well," Ron hastily cut him off. Black still seemed to swell with pride.

"You know, I was on the team as well, as a chaser. Still, your father used me to train for catching the Snitch all the time. I could show you a few pointers if you like," Black smiled, a twinkle in his eye.

"That would be great," Harry smiled as he looked over at Ron. Hermione frowned as the boys started to behave just like boys.

"Aren't we getting a little ahead of ourselves? We have a lot of work to do; Animagus lessons, the Pensieve, Quidditich practice and our regular lessons. Harry, don't you think we've taken on far too much at once?" she reasoned.

"You worry too much, Herms. We've got time, besides, we got our homework already taken care of," Ron shrugged.

"You what?" Hermione asked, her eyes widened at what she heard.

"Well, we figured the lessons could take a lot out of me so Ron and I got our homework done as fast as we could so we're free," Harry commented, shrugging. Hermione felt her jaw drop.

"That's surprising," she admitted, after a moment. Ron looked hurt.

"What's that supposed to mean?" he asked. "I can get my work done ahead of schedule if I need to."

"I never knew, considering all those times you cheated from my paper at the last minute," she huffed.

"Well," Ron tried to explain, realizing he had just bit the hand that fed him. "It's much more reliable to ask you for help. I bet I got most of it wrong," he admitted sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck and trying to worm out of the conversation. Harry was trying to hide his smile, looking over at Black who seemed like he was living a fond memory.

The group spilt up at nightfall, with Harry shifting his nose into a dog's muzzle. "Amazing. It took me days to get that down and you do it in less than an afternoon," Black complimented, slapping Harry on the back. Harry smiled as his nose returned to normal. They headed back to the school, leaving Black smiling at the Whomping Willow. He shifted into a dog, picking up the change of clothes and trotting off into the woods.

* * *

><p><strong>In case you guys couldn't tell, this chapter was supposed to be written through Sirius Black's point of view. As with the last chapter, it was authored by starwarsdude8221991. R&amp;R, as always. I'm hoping to rip it from starwars' hands so that I can continue writing it but I guess he really likes writing it. I don't know, we'll. Either way, next chapter should be up soon.<strong>

***EDIT*: Starwarsdude and I both know James was a Chaser in the books and a Seeker in the movie. However, we have our reasons for choosing to keep James a Seeker. Sirius was the Chaser and for future purposes, this will be important.  
><strong>

**~LE  
><strong>


	8. Who's Confused? I'm Confused

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything classic of this story. Harry Potter and all of the notable characters belong to J.K. Rowling, aka, God.**** All original characters are copyright of me, however.  
><strong>

* * *

><p><span>Magnolia Crescent<span>

Chapter Eight

Who's Confused? I'm Confused

This was Hermione's brilliant plan, Harry grumbled in his head, making his way grudgingly to Professor Snape's dungeon. Christmas break was over and classes had been in session for about a week. She had come up with a brilliant plan to start work on the Pensieve. Reluctantly, he knocked on the potions room door.

"Yes?" Snape's voice drawled.

"Professor, I was wondering if you would be willing to give me extra potions lessons. I noticed I was falling behind and …." Harry trailed off, shoving his hands in his pockets.

"I don't see why not. Although I can't imagine why you would want to spend any extra time in class. Especially since Gryffindors tend to be, shall we say, slackers?" Snape smirked. Moving to a shelf behind his desk, he pulled down a large book titled _The Potions Master_.

Snape selected a potion from the middle, instructing Harry to brew it the best he could within one hour. "This is known as the Skin-Growing potion. It's simple in principle and useful for almost any small scrape or cut."

"Okay," Harry nodded as Snape pulled out a small sheet of paper with the directions on it as he walked back to the front of the room. Harry worked in silence as the minutes ticked away when someone else knocked on the door. Snape frowned as he walked over to answer it. Harry glanced over and spotted some bleach blonde hair. He kept working until after Snape had dealt with the student, whom Harry presumed was Malfoy. He managed to finish the potion under the requested time limit.

"Professor, I finished it," Harry announced, handing a vile over to Snape. The professor glared at him for a moment before taking out a spoon and testing it.

"It is acceptable," Snape commented after a long moment. Harry relaxed before Snape waved his hand at Harry to leave. He went to his desk and started to clean up his mess.

"Professor Snape?" Harry asked, clearing his things away. "How exactly does one put a stopper on death?" Snape glanced over at him, surprised that Harry would ask something he mentioned two years prior. He flipped through the book, trying to locate the potion he was referring to.

"It's an extremely complex potion," Snap said, rifling through the pages. "But if you must know, it's right here." He set the book down in front of Harry, pointing to the correct page.

On the page opposite, Harry noticed a potion recipe for the Pensieve. He pretended to look over the page, while in reality he was thinking on how to get the Pensieve list without Snape noticing.

"Thank you, Professor," Harry said, closing the book and handing it back. "I was just wondering how you would go about that. I was thinking randomly of first year the question's been bugging me." As he spoke, Snape replaced the book on the shelf it came from.

"Don't push your luck. This is far too advanced for you current skill level. If you wish to continue tomorrow, be here around six after dinner. Don't be late," Snape emphasized.

Harry left the dungeon quickly, rushing up to the common room where he found Hermione working on homework still in the common room.

"I found the potion for the Pensieve, Hermione," Harry said nonchalantly, pulling his bag over to sit by her.

"Did you really? Where?" she asked excitedly.

"In a potion book of Snape's," Harry admitted, glancing around. Luckily, the common room was empty. He really didn't need Neville hassling them again like first year. Now that he thought about it, they never did apologize for that.

"That will make it harder to get ahold of," Hermione frowned, trying to think of a way to get a copy of the potion.

"Not necessarily." Hermione gave him a questioning look so he explained. "My dad's old cloak." Harry's face broke into a huge grin.

"Fair enough, but we may need to find some supplies for it as well. You may have to make more than one trip down there," Hermione pointed out. Harry nodded in agreement, but with the cloak, he wasn't too worried.

Somewhere around midnight, Hermione began to shoo Harry out of the portrait hole. Quietly, he made his way down to the dungeons once more that day. The door to Snape's classroom was locked when Harry tried it. A whisper of 'Alohomora' fixed the problem, allowing Harry to enter.

It was eerily dark, with jarred potion ingredients glowing in the dark. Harry lit his wand, holding it high beneath his cloak. The book sat high on a shelf, just barely out of his reach. Only by stretching on his toes did he manage to grab it. His heart gave a great leap when it nearly tumbled from his hands. Gingerly, he set the book on the desk, flipping through the pages until he came upon the one he wanted.

He threw off his cloak, digging into his pocket for a piece of parchment. Luckily, Snape had left a quill and ink pot there. Knowing how meticulous Hermione could be, he carefully but hastily copied it. Once he finished, he reread both lists twice before replacing the book and grabbing his cloak.

Black's freedom depended on the accuracy of the potion. Harry couldn't chance getting even one thing wrong. He looked over the list as he rapidly exited the room. He needed to find the store room now. Harry stopped outside an old closet, looking it over. Something told him that it was the store room. Rattling the handle told him that this door was locked as well. He muttered 'Alohomora' but to no avail.

"This isn't going to be as easy getting into," Harry frowned as he thought of a way into the room. "If only I could get in another way. If only Dobby were here, that would make this so much easier," he mused.

"Harry Potter!" a high-pitched voice squeaked from behind Harry. He about jumped out of his skin, noting of the big eyed house elf next to him.

"Dobby, what are you doing here?" Harry asked, forcing himself to be quiet. Before Dobby could speak, Harry heard footsteps in the distance.

"Who's out there?" a cold voice called. Harry snatched Dobby into his arms and pulled the cape over them as Snape strutted down the corridor.

"Harry Potter, what is – " Dobby started but Harry quickly covered the elf's mouth, Snape stopping just outside of the store room door. He slid it open, glancing inside. Harry took the opportunity to slip inside before Snape could shut it.

"Bloody students," Snape frowned as he slammed the door shut. Harry smirked as he lit his wand and set Dobby down.

"Harry Potter, what are you doing up at this time of night?" Dobby squeaked as Harry looked around. He spotted one of the main ingredients and quickly put it into his bag.

"I could ask you the same thing," Harry whispered back, looking down at the little creature. He was now sporting a small sweater instead of the old pillow case, along with the old sock that had secured his freedom last year.

"Dobby will always come when Harry Potter had need of him. I am indebted to you," Dobby said proudly as Harry nicked another item from his list.

"Well, I need to make a potion to help prove the innocence of a family friend," Harry admitted. When he grabbed the third item, Dobby clapped his hands.

"Amazing, Harry Potter is truly a kind hearted wizard, so willing to help others. Who is it that Harry Potter is trying to help?" Dobby asked, looking up at him with big green eyes. Harry wondered for a moment but decided that it wouldn't hurt.

Harry knelt down and whispered, "My godfather, Sirius Black."

"Sirius Black!" Dobby shouted. Harry quickly clamped his hands over the house elf's mouth. Frowning, he once more pulled the cloak over them as footsteps came back down the hall.

"Quiet, Dobby! Yes, that Black. He's a good man, I can tell, and I need to get these things together to help him out. Or else the dementors will get him," Harry hushed. Snape stopped in front of the store room for a moment. Harry kept his mouth shut, watching the small shadow of Snape left from under the door. The footsteps echoes away as Harry released breath.

"Dobby heard his old master talking about Black, he was the fall guy. Master often talked about him mocking Mr. Potter," Dobby explained. Harry nodded, becoming more and more certain of Black's innocence.

"Can you help me, Dobby? I need to get these supplies together," Harry explained, showing the elf the piece of parchment he had wrote on. Dobby nodded as the ingredients started to float off of their shelves. Harry pulled open the bag and quickly placed the items inside. He patted Dobby on the head after completion.

"And now the door," Dobby smiled, snapping his fingers. The door slid open and Harry moved back outside. He slowly pushed the door shut as he spotted Dobby.

"Thank you, Dobby. I really appreciate your help," Harry admitted.

"No need to thank Dobby, sir. Dobby is always happy to help Harry Potter," Dobby smiled, snapping his fingers and vanishing in a plume of smoke. Harry smiled, quickly moving back towards Gryffindor Tower.

Making his way through the seventh floor corridor was difficult. Peeves was hovering in the middle of the corridor, appearing to make trouble for Filch.

Harry slowly crept along the edge of the wall. Unfortunately, he was so focused on Peeves he failed to see the suit of armor in front of him. The armor crashed to the ground, echoing off the corridor. As he tumbled to the ground, the cloak slipped off, exposing his entire body.

"Potty wee Potter!" Peeves yelled joyously. "Why are you out of bed?" A huge grin broke across his face. Harry glanced up, adjusting his glasses, and saw Filch running through the corridor. Hurriedly, he grabbed his cloak and pressed himself tightly into a corner.

"Peeves! What have you done?" Filch croaked.

"T'wasn't me," Peeves said defiantly.

"How do you figure? I know you're lying to me!" Filch hollered.

"Wasn't me! Wasn't me!" Peeves zoomed down the hall, repeating that. Filch grumbled after him. Harry waited a few minutes before racing silently for the portrait hole.

Hermione rose to her feet as soon as the portrait swung forward. Breathlessly, Harry pulled off his cloak and thrust the piece of parchment into her hands. Without another word, he headed towards his dormitory.

"Thank you!" Hermione called after him. Harry turned and gave her an award winning grin as he folded the cloak back up.

"No problem, let me know if we need anything else," Harry smirked as he looked up the stairs. "Right now, I am going to get some sleep." Harry sighed as the adrenaline started to wear off. Hermione nodded as she glanced at the slip of parchment. She rushed over to him and planted a kiss on his cheek before rushing off to the girl's dormitory. Harry blinked, stupefied, as he raised his hand to his face.

The following day, Hermione ate a hurried lunch before dashing off to work on the Pensieve potion. Ron watched her go as the two boys suddenly seen a dark shadow looming towards them.

"Potter," Snape drawled.

"Professor," Harry said, looking back at Snape. He wasn't sure what he wanted and prayed that he hadn't been found out. "Can I help you?" he asked, turning in his seat.

"Your extra lessons are canceled," Snape informed, glaring down at Harry, who squirmed under his gaze.

"Why?" Harry asked, hoping that the confused look on his face would be enough to throw Snape off. 'Please don't expel me,' he thought to himself as Ron looked up at their teacher.

"If I ever find out that you broke into my classroom, I will personally make sure you are expelled." Snape's voice was cold and menacing. He stalked away but not before giving Harry one last glower.

"What was that about?" Ron asked, turning to look at Harry.

"I guess I didn't put the book away properly," he shrugged, going back to his food. "To be honest I didn't mind the class work," Harry admitted. Ron looked at him like he grew another head.

"You sure you didn't get hit since the last time I saw you. Who would want to hang out with that teacher, out of all of them?" Ron asked as he looked over at Harry with a raised eyebrow. "Anyway, I'm going to help Hermione out. Don't stay out with, um, Padfoot for too long okay?" Ron advised. Harry nodded as Ron grabbed a muffin and quickly rushed after Hermione. The group had been caught up to the same page that morning at breakfast. Ron agreed to help Hermione during Harry's late night classes. So he already knew that he and Harry were supposed to meet Hermione after eight or so that night in the common room. If he didn't, they would call Black out and Black would be on the run again.

"Always worried about me," Harry grinned, shaking his head. He finished off his meal before checking his watch. There was more than enough time to get to his next class.

At the end of the day, Ron ate a hurried dinner before following after an impatient Hermione. She led him straight to the second floor girls bathroom. Ron groaned as he spotted the familiar bathroom they had used last year.

"Is there a problem with this?" she snapped as she looked at the redhead.

"Moaning Myrtle," Ron replied, rubbing the back of his neck. "Why couldn't we have done this in the library?"

"I already have it set up. Besides, we both know it happens to be the only place we can safely prepare the Pensieve!" she said huffily. She made for the door but it opened before she touched it. Leo walked out, much to their amazement.

"You do realize that this bathroom doesn't work?" he smirked at Hermione.

"Yes. You do realize that this is a girls bathroom, right?" she replied.

"I know that, but it's quiet and I don't always like to be around my fellow Slytherins," Leo explained. "They can get quite annoying, especially Malfoy and his cronies."

"What's wrong with Malfoy? He's in your house…" Ron asked, trailing off, noticing the questioning look that Leo was giving him.

"Malfoy thinks that Slytherins are better than everybody else, especially Gryffindors. Worse yet, he's been going on about this pure blood mania as well. I happen to not care about anybody but myself, but it's annoying whenever he starts picking on my about my half-blood status," Leo explained.

"There are plenty of other places you can go for quiet," Ron said angrily. "Why don't you go there?"

"Because Moaning Myrtle's bathroom is one of the only places where people from any house tend to avoid. Except you three. I'm assuming that's your potion in the locked stall?" Leo assumed. Hermione blushed. "I thought so. Don't worry, I won't tell. Well, beautiful," he said, gently tapping Hermione's chin. "I'll see you tomorrow in class."

"Keep your hands to yourself! You bloody Slytherin!" Ron snapped as Leo headed down the hallway.

"We're not 'bloody Slytherins'," Leo growled, turning around to face Ron. "I respect all of the houses, whether I like them or not. The least you could do is show me the same." Before Ron could say another word, Leo stormed away. Hermione grabbed ahold of Ron and drug him into the bathroom.

"The potion will be done in a few days. I still need to add gillyweed and let it brew for 24 hours. Unfortunately, this is just the liquid portion of it. To make it work properly, we need to cast a few enchantments."

"So, who do we talk to about that?" Ron asked. Hermione just smiled as Harry walked in who looked even more exhausted then from last night.

* * *

><p><strong>Alright, so the next chapter is finally here! yay! I know that a lot of you really wanted the next one, so Happy Birthday! Here it is! As for Book Three (Prisoner of Azkaban), there will more than likely only be about three or four more chapters. Then comes a dilemna. starwarsdude8221991 (co-authorbeta reader/idea originator) wants to continue on through this title and location. I, on the other hand, would prefer to start a new title and story location on FF. Since neither of us could come to an agreement, we agreed to disagree and decided to let you, our faithful readers decide.**

**So, let us know in a review A) what you thought of the chapter, duh. and B) where you want to see the Book Four installment. Should we continue it right here under Magnolia Crescent? Or should we start a new story with the appropriate name?**


	9. The Sweet, Sweet Past

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything classic of this story. Harry Potter and all of the notable characters belong to J.K. Rowling, aka, God. All original characters are copyright of me, however.**

* * *

><p><span>Magnolia Crescent<span>

Chapter Nine

The Sweet, Sweet Past

"Why do I have to talk to all of the teachers, Hermione?" Harry grumbled, trudging down the second floor corridor. "Why can't you talk to him?"

"Because you have a way with words when it comes to getting information without getting caught. Besides, I need to check on the potion and I don't know how long this conversation will last," she said simply, shoving Harry towards the door and briskly walking away. Nervously, Harry knocked on the door of the Charms classroom.

"Come in," came the voice of tiny Professor Flitwick. "Ah, Mr. Potter. Is there I can help you with?"

"I was actually hoping, er, that you could answer a couple of questions," Harry said quietly.

"Fire away," he squeaked, straightening rolls of parchment on his desk.

"Well, I was wondering what kind of enchantments would be used to properly create a Pensieve," Harry said, stammering slightly.

"An interesting question," Flitwick mused, tapping his chin thoughtfully. "Might I ask the reason behind your inquiry?"

"Simply curious. Honestly, I think Hermione's constant quest for knowledge is starting to rub off on me," he muttered shyly, scratching the back of his head.

"And it's not a bad habit," Flitwick commented. "Let's see, to create a proper Pensieve, you would need to cast _Carpe Retractum_, _Aparecium_, and…. Dear me, what was that last spell? There were three of them…." Flitwick said thoughtfully. "Ah, yes! _Legilimens_!"

"_Apar_..." Harry trailed off, furrowing his brow in confusion.

"_Aparecium_, the original intent of the spell is to reveal ink on paper. But it is also used to reveal memories that have been stored in a Pensieve potion," Flitwick explained.

"So, what's the point of _Carpe Retractum_ and _Legilimens_?" Harry asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"_Carpe Retractum_ is used to pull the user into the Pensieve. _Legilimens_ is a spell normally used to see into another's mind. For a Pensieve, the use is similar, only to see the memories stored inside it."

"Okay, that makes perfect sense," Harry said, inclining his head. "Thank you, Professor." Harry waved, turning towards the door.

"Ah, you're welcome, Mr. Potter. It's good to see that you're following in your mother's footsteps instead of your father's," Flitwick commented. Harry paused, hand on the doorframe.

"What do you mean by that, sir?" he asked gently.

"Well, I'm sure you know by now that your father was quite the rule-breaker, along with his friends. Lily, on the other hand, was very much like Miss Granger – she was always studying and preferred to focus on her grades, rather than finding a new way to break the rules," Flitwick explained.

"What was she like?" Harry asked, always seeking more information about his parents.

"You're not familiar with them?" Flitwick asked, astounded.

"No one really talks about them, Professor. I didn't know anything about them until my first year. I thought they had died in a car crash," Harry explained calmly. The old professor studied Harry, rubbing his white beard.

"You have no idea who you are, do you?" the professor realized. The tiny man hopped out from behind his desk and pulled out his wand. With a quick flick of his wrist, a series of books flew off a shelf and onto a nearby desk.

"What are these, Professor?" Harry asked, looking at the books.

"Well, before Hogwarts became famous, Harry, we didn't have nearly as many students. So, every year we printed out yearbooks. However, in recent years, the amount of students we have make it a little tedious and far too expensive. However, I always kept mine for each year and, as luck would have it, those years include your parents' school years," he smiled.

He quickly thought to himself, recalling what years Lily and James were in school. Then, with a smile, he pulled out the yearbooks marked for 1971 through 1978.

"Yes, I remember those days; the marauders had a habit of wearing Muggle clothing – drove the staff up the wall. Some students dyed their hair, ah, the punk rock era. That was a teaching nightmare."

"What do you mean, Professor?" asked Harry.

"Let's just say our Weasley twins are hardly the miscreants everyone thinks they are compared to this era. The marauders, which your father was part of, gave us no end of grief. I had just started teaching then, as well, and right after my dueling club, the group tested every ounce of patience I never knew I had," he chuckled.

"So my father was a trouble maker as well," Harry realized as Flitwick flipped through the book.

"Oh, yes. We were so thankful when he took Quidditich that we practically threw a party," he laughed. "Our celebration was cut short when they proceeded to make time to drive us up the wall. In some cases, quite literally. Poor Professor Slughorn," he sighed, frowning. "Ah, where were we – let's see, Year One, Sirius Black." Flitwick pointed him out. "He was a marauder as well, best friends with your father. You know, I never really took him for the type…" he said slowly, fading as he finished.

"The type?" Harry asked, looking over at the Professor.

"Nothing, let's see here. Lily, ah, here she is." He smiled as he pointed her out. Her figure waved at the two, smiling. "She was an amazing student and one of the kindest hearts. I remember, in her second year, during the dueling club, she went against your father. Let's just say your father couldn't get a word in edgewise, let alone a spell. She was one of the few people James ever really feared after that. She was skilled; I heard she was capable of controlling her magic before she even got a wand. She was overflowing with talent and skill. Lily was even able to do some wandless magic before she left school.

"Let me tell you something, Harry, she was even asked to join You-Know-Who. Harry, let me explain this: You-Know-Who hated muggleborns. Your mother was so powerful, that he was willing to bend the rules to let her join. That is no small feat."

"Incredible," Harry murmured, blinking. Flitwick nodded.

"Your father," he continued as he turned the page. "Was more like you in the sense that he drew people around him. He was charismatic, not as much as Dumbledore or He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, but he had his loyal friends. His skill with magic was above average but his skill with a broom, now that was something to be admired. In fact, I heard it was a common topic he would bring up around friends. He always wanted to go pro, but things happened and well, that dream was taken away from him."

"Really?" Harry encouraged. "Hey, is that Professor Snape?" he asked, noticing a picture.

"Yes, greasy little boy, even then, isn't he?" Flitwick smirked. "Yes, he was a quiet boy back in the day; he and your mother were good friends. He just fell into the wrong group. He and your father were almost always at each other's throats. I never could understand his motivations."

"Pardon me, Professor," Harry interrupted.

"Sorry, Harry. I just kept going on now, didn't I?" asked the wizard.

"It's alright, Professor. I really like hearing about my parents. You seem to know a lot about them," Harry dismissed.

"I always keep an eye on talented individuals, so much skill in that generation – all wasted." He frowned. "And I find myself talking about them to no end, I am afraid. How about something to snack on?" He smiled as he swished his wand and a small tin popped out of his desk.

"Thanks," Harry smiled, picking up a cupcake. "So, what happened to the rest of the family?" he asked. The professor paused for a moment as he was about to bite into his pastry.

"Didn't your aunt and uncle tell you anything about the rest of your family?" asked the professor, concern growing as the conversation continued.

"They told me my parents died in a car crash, and I didn't learn about Hogwarts until my first year," Harry explained, not really bothered by it.

"Perhaps another day, Mr. Potter. I am going to need some time to catch my breath," he replied as he started to eat.

"Professor, something has been bothering me a bit. How did the problem of blood come into question. With the events of last year, everyone would talk about blood, however, no one explained why," Harry asked. The Charms professor set his food down.

"What is that ghost teaching," he said, frowning. "Brace yourself, this is a dreadfully long explanation." He clasped his hands as he took a deep breath. "The power He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named gained is based on history. Back before the school was formed, Harry, the wizarding population was much larger. Then a massive amount of Muggle-borns popped up. Well, at the time, there was no problems – more wizards. A generation passed and a large amount of squibs appeared. The wizarding world went into a panic at the idea of losing their magic. So, the idea of blood came into question. Which is why Salazar Slytherin adopted the idea of only taking in pure-blood. He feared the destruction of his world. Well, another generation passed and the wizarding world started to regain its numbers. Then, the Muggle-borns started to pop up again, another explosion like before. Blood families remembered what happened last time this happened. Now that we have gone back, most of those lost families have in face returned to the wizarding world. Some scholars believe magic was balancing itself out. However, there are those who don't see this or ignore it and continue to believe Muggle-borns are the reason that our world is so small."

"Amazing," Harry replied, returning to his pastry. "So, why isn't this common knowledge?"

"Harry, people don't always believe the truth. Even if they did, there are some people in this world that don't care and just want to be better than other people, no matter how unjust it is," he commented. Harry blinked as he could have sworn he saw Mr. Malfoy for a brief moment. "In fact, a lot of You-Know-Who's followers know this. But that brings up a whole 'nother reasoning for the last war."

"This seems far too confusing. How could people be so cruel?" asked Harry.

"The world is filled with people who take advantage of these situations. The problem with black magic, Harry, isn't that it's evil, but that people who learn it have this odd desire to use it on people. You remind me so much of your mother with every passing moment. But I think that this is enough for today," he chuckled.

"I guess so, Professor. Thank you for everything," Harry nodded, quickly walking out of the door. The door shut as the professor glanced down at the yearbooks.

"I wonder," he mused to himself. "I think it's time I paid a visit to Minerva about Mr. Potter. This recent conversation has brought up some pressing concerns." He frowned as he finished his cupcake.

The aging witch was going over papers when she suddenly heard a knock at the door. She glanced up but saw nothing; she returned to her work but paused. She glanced down again to see "Filius," she greeted. "What brings you here?" she asked, smiling a bit.

"Minerva, I don't mean to bother you but I have recently come across something of interest," the Charms professor started. She didn't speak as she looked at him. "Harry Potter came by today asking me about a few Charms spells."

"Nothing dangerous, I hope," McGonagall frowned. "Dear me, he hasn't done anything wrong, has he? Heaven forbid, we have another James on our hands." She started to panic.

"Nothing of the sort, calm down," he reassured. "The Charms are not the issue, they are difficult, but hardly dangerous. No, a line of questioning has come up recently and it has me concerned." He glanced at her, knowing she could read his concern as plain as day. "Harry's knowledge of the wizarding world and of his parents has come to light. I am a little concerned that nobody has bothered to sit him down and talk to him."

"Why am I not surprised. I never did like those Muggle," she sighed. "I know what you are thinking, but Filius, I've had this conversation before. The Potter family is all but dead; they fell to the dragon pox. We both know how deadly that can be late in life. Lily's parents, however, are a touchy subject." She frowned, not wanting to talk about it.

"Something bad happened?" Filius asked, pressing the woman for information. She bit her lip as if trying to find a way to word it.

"The official story is that they died from a Muggle illness. But as much as I would like to say otherwise, there was nothing wrong with them when they died. Nothing, no long term illness, they just dropped dead. We didn't talk about it, since there was no proof but it was what pushed the kind Lily into the Order."

"I always thought it was an odd fit," he admitted, casually rubbing his beard. She nodded in agreement.

"It would have been Black who would have been next in line, but sadly, he is the reason they died. So Harry was sent to live with that woman," she spat.

"Not the kindest of people, I take it?"

"I'll admit, I was a bit judgmental, but their outlook rubs me the wrong way. But I think it's not too surprising that Harry is so ill informed. I don't know many who would be able to talk with him about it."

"What about Remus?" asked Filius. "He was a friend of the family, I am sure he could talk to Harry," he pointed out.

"I don't know if that would work. Remus lost his best friends that night, I don't know how willing he would be to talk." She frowned. "For now, let's keep our eyes open and see if we can't give Harry a push in the right direction. I think I have a few spells he might be interested in."

"What do you mean?" asked Filius as he watched Minerva head to her bookshelf, glancing over the titles. "What are you looking for?" he asked, watching her nose through books.

"Here it is. Now, I don't know about you, but I always have my students, during their first year, write a paper about themselves. I make it a habit to keep them and I think Mr. Potter would find them interesting." She smiled, pulling out a book.

"You had them bound?" he asked as she set the book down.

"Hardly," she scoffed, tapping her wand a few times on the cover. A few pages slipped out. "It just helps me keep things in order. Now, if you would be so kind as to make sure he gets these, I would be greatly appreciative."

"I am sure I can get it to him before the night is up," Flitwick said smirking.

"_Carpe Retractum_," Harry cast, waving his wand. He grinned as the book slid across the room to him. Then, he backed away as the book was pulled to him. It didn't take him long to master the charm and soon, he would try to work on the other two. Harry had been at it for a long time and the sun had already set.

Harry released a deep breath as he sat down in one of the armchairs. He stared at the fire, letting himself relax. He was just about to fall asleep when something poked him. Harry blinked as he tried to shake off sleep. He glanced down to see a small group of makeshift paper airplanes on the ground. Harry sighed, not to thrilled at the interruption. He picked up one of the odd airplanes. Unfolding it, he noticed it had some writing on it. His annoyance soon shifted as he read. He chuckled as he read about his father's dream, back when he was 11. He smirked, reading about James wanting to be a hero with his new best friend, Sirius. He chuckled as he went over the small amount of writing his father put down. Harry paused, however, when he got to the end. The ending was out of place but talked about how rude some black-haired kid with a crooked nose had been to him and went on about teaching manners to rude people. Harry frowned a bit at that but didn't think too much on it.

The next paper airplane he figured was for his mother, but, unlike his father, was much longer. The starting seemed simple enough – she wanted to be a doctor. He got a few sentence in when she mentioned her best friend Severus. Harry blinked, remembering his father's "rude kid" and wondered if the two might be the same. He got up from his chair as he began to wonder about the Potions master.

"I wonder if my parents wronged him when they went to school," Harry muttered to himself. "It would explain his behavior. Who knows, maybe I could talk to Snape about it." Harry rolled his eyes. "I doubt Snape would talk about it." He returned to his mother's paper as he became engrossed with the little things he could figure out from the mother he never got to meet.

* * *

><p><strong>Sorry it took so long for this chapter to get up. Life has been extremely hectic and it's been hard for either me or starwarsdude to sit down and work on this. And as for the Book Four installment, we've decided to continue it under Magnolia Crescent. Most of this chapter was authored by SWD, seeing as he's got more time on his hands that I do, but whateve. Enjoy, and please R&amp;R! 3 LE<strong>


	10. Magic In The Air

****Disclaimer: I do not own anything classic of this story. Harry Potter and all of the notable characters belong to J.K. Rowling, aka, God. All original characters are copyright of me, however****

* * *

><p><span>Magnolia Crescent<span>

Chapter Ten

Magic In The Air

"Are you sure about this, Harry? This is very powerful magic, very advanced magic," Lupin warned as he looked down at Harry.

"Yes, Professor," Harry replied, nodding with a stony look in his eyes. Lupin frowned at bit, noticing that Harry seemed a little tired.

"You okay, Harry?" he asked, looking over the young teen. Harry nodded again, wanting to get to work. "Harry, if you're feeling tired, we can always work on this some other time," Lupin offered.

"I would rather get started as soon as possible, Professor. I've been a bit busy working on some new spells," Harry explained. Lupin nodded, looking like he wanted to press him on the extra work but didn't.

"Now then, the spell you are going to learn is called the Patronus Charm," Lupin explained. Harry nodded but didn't interrupt. "The Patronus is a kind of anti-dementor – a guardian that acts as a shield between you and the dementor." Harry nodded again as Lupin paused for a moment. "Harry, are you paying attention?"

"It's a spell that acts a shield between me and the dementor. So, does it look like a giant with a club or something?" asked Harry. Lupin blinked, a little surprised that Harry was indeed paying attention.

"Seems you have more of your mother in you than I thought," Lupin said, smirking. Harry smirked back, but didn't respond. "Anyway, the Patronus is a kind of positive force, a projection of the very things that the dementor feeds on. The trick is this – the Patronus can't feel despair and so, the dementor can't hurt it. I must warn you, however, Harry. Most qualified wizards have difficulty with this spell. And back to your earlier comment; no, each Patronus is different for each wizard," Lupin explained. "Now then, the incantation, which will work only if you are concentrating with all your might on a single, very happy memory."

Harry closed his eyes, thinking over his memories, skipping over his time with the Dursleys, his mind went to his time on a broom. Then another memory popped up, a very recent one.

"The incantation is this," Lupin paused to clear his throat. "_Expecto Patronum_." Harry kept his eyes closed as he repeated the spell under his breath.

"_Expecto Patronum_," Harry repeated in a full voice, wand at the ready. He gripped his want tightly. "_Expecto Patronum_," he shouted and a silver wisp appeared at the end of his wand.

"Very good, would you like to try it on a boggart?" asked the professor.

"Yes," Harry nodded, keeping his mind on the memory as he held his wand tightly. He watched as Lupin unlatched the trunk. He heard the last latch come undone as his mind went back to the train and his mother but his mind snapped back to the memory as the hooded head of a dementor rose from the depths. "_Expecto Patronum_," Harry shouted. Nothing happened. Harry shouted a second time; he could feel the happiness being sucked out of him. "_Expecto Patronum_!" he shouted when suddenly, a vortex of silver shot out from his wand, entrapping the dementor and pushing it back. The creature attempted to feed off of the shield as Lupin started laughing. The creature was forced back into the trunk and Lupin slammed the lid back on. Harry let his arms drop to his side as Lupin sat down on the trunk, locking it up nice and tight.

Harry caught his breath, noticed that Lupin was now staring at him. "Something wrong, Professor?" he asked. Lupin shook his head.

"I am just blown away. It's only a shield Patronus, but I have never seen anyone do that on their first try. Amazing Harry, I never would have imagined." Lupin clapped, unable to contain his pride. "Come, sit," he offered as he pulled out some chocolate.

"Thanks," Harry smiled, biting into the chocolate; it was a little bitter but it still tasted amazing.

"So, what was your memory, out of curiosity?" asked Lupin, glancing over at Harry. Harry finished off his treat.

"Well, um, at first it was my first time flying. But then I remembered the other day. I was sitting down and I got some papers my mom and dad wrote when they first came to Hogwarts. The whole was just filled with people telling me about my parents. I was just so…." Harry really didn't know how to explain it. Lupin nodded but didn't say anything as he patted him on the back.

"Really?" Lupin blinked. Harry nodded. "You know, I knew your father when we were growing up," Lupin said, a fond smile on his face. "But to be honest, you remind me more and more of your mother."

"If you were friends with my father, then you would know of Sirius Black," Harry stated.

"I, yes, I did. Well, at least I thought I did," he sighed, frowning. Lupin didn't look like he wanted to continue. Harry nodded, but despite his desires, he decided it best not to talk to Lupin about Black and his version of the story.

"Professor, last year, we had dueling club. Is it still around?" Harry asked. To be honest, he was looking to turn the conversation away from the man's memories.

"Really?" Lupin said, seeming a little surprised. "That wouldn't be a bad idea." Harry released a breath; Lupin was thinking about something else. "Haha," Lupin laughed out loud. Harry jumped, a little confused at the sudden outburst.

"What?" asked Harry, not really understanding Lupin's sudden burst of cheerfulness.

"Harry, your job is not to look after me. My job is to take care of you," Lupin smirked as Harry noticed the man had a faraway look in his eye. "I remember Dumbledore saying the exact same thing to Lily," Lupin chuckled. Harry gave him a confused look. "After another of your father's shenanigan, Peter, Sirius, your father and I all got caught by your mother. Our headmaster was suffering from a cold and Lily started offering him chicken noodle soup."

"Haha," Harry chuckled at the idea of Dumbledore, one of the most powerful wizards in the world, coming down with a cold. "Well, if that's everything for today, I have a few other things I need to take care of." Harry turned to leave.

"Harry, if you ever get stuck on something, or need some help with a spell, you can always come and talk to me," Lupin reminded. Harry nodded with a small smile on his face as he left the room.

Harry moved through the halls of the school, tapping a piece of paper with his wand. "_Aparecium_," he commanded as the notes he had written down vanished. "Aparecium." The letters vanished again; so far, this spell was the easiest to learn. Hermione would have been taking care of the spells herself, however, she had taken to the library for another reason. With Malfoy hamming it up, they had found out that Buckbeak was going to court. While Harry had wanted to help out, Hermione was so quick at it, he found himself slowing her down more than helping. So, he started working on something less pressing, but equally important – spells for the Pensieve. Harry later found out that _Legilimens_ was not a legal spell to know and that it was a skill that needed much more than a simple incantation, which was why the professor so willingly handed out the information. Apparently, there were simpler ways to create a Pensieve. The only problem was that it wasn't cheap and he wouldn't be able to get it into the school without drawing attention.

He moved towards the old girls bathroom and surprisingly found Hermione in there waiting for him and Ron. Harry blinked but realized she was reading a novel and hadn't noticed him come in. "Hermione?" Harry spoke up; she turned suddenly, surprised to see him.

"Harry, you're back early. I didn't think you would be done with Lupin's lesson s soon," she admitted. Harry smiled as he sat down on the tile floor next to her.

"I got the basic shield down already," Harry admitted with a shrug. Hermione blinked.

"Harry, now is not the time to joke," she said with a frown, giving him a disapproving glance. Harry smirked as he pulled out his wand.

"_Expecto Patronum_," Harry announced as the silver wisp appeared, creating a vortex before him as Hermione dropped her book in shock.

"Incredible," she muttered as she turned to face Harry. "I never would have believed it. Harry, you learned a spell in a matter of hours, one that most full grown wizard can't use," she said, clearly blown away by the display. Harry turned back to the spell, only to jump; he had come face to face with a dog. The spell cut out for a moment as Hermione's and Harry's eyes slowly met.

The door clanged open as Ron rushed into the room. "Hey guys," he smiled as the two broke their stare. "You two okay? You look like you've seen a bloody ghost." He glanced around for a second. "Then again, that seems pretty likely considering," Ron added as he realized where they were.

"Are you talking about me?" shouted a voice belonging to the reason for the bathroom being empty. Moaning Myrtle appeared before Ron, glaring at him.

"Not at all," Ron apologized hastily as he backed away. "Hogwarts if filled with ghosts is all," he admitted nervously.

"Well," she humphed, clearly satisfied. "Have fun with whatever it is you three are up to." Smiling, she looked at Harry, who suppressed the urge to shudder. "I hope you three aren't up to anymore illegal activities," she chirped.

"Nothing in the potions department yet," Hermione explained, mumbling the last part under her breath. "However, legality is definitely getting skewed this time around." The ghost girl flew off, splashing into a toilet at Ron gave her a confused look.

"What does she mean by that?" asked Ron as he looked over at Harry. He smirked.

"We are, as of now, working on a spell, which is considered illegal. All while trying to help a man on the run from the law to prove his innocence. Not to mention, our best friends is helping Hagrid fight the legal system the right way. By all accounts, Ron, one cannot twist the rules like us. I swear, how we won the house cup the last two years is beyond me," Harry snorted as the three went out to meet Sirius for some more Animagus lessons, which were also not legal.

Sirius fidgeted uncomfortabley, sneaking around in the area was frustrating. Breaking in to get Peter would be anti-productive at this point. If any of them heard he broke in, he would have a long explanation and probably ruin what fragile relationship he had built. He suddenly heard the sound of footsteps and he shifted into a dog, hunkering down in some bushes. Harry appeared first, followed by his two classmates. Sirius shook his head, having seen James for a second as he appeared in the clearing. Sirius smiled like only a dog can as he walked up next to Harry, smelling the area to make sure no one had followed them.

He shifted back into his human form as he was greeted by a half-smile all around. "Ready to get started?" asked Sirius, clapping his hands together. Hermione went over and rested against a tree to read something while Ron rested on a stump. "Still no sign of Peter," Sirius thought, sighing to himself.

"Sirius, we came across a hitch in the Pensieve," Harry explained. Sirius blinked, nodding for Harry to continue. "It requires the spell _Legilimens_," Harry frowned as if expecting the man to explode. Sirius shrugged.

"So, you need someone to practice on?" he nodded in understanding. "Okay, I think we can take some time out of our practice and work on that spell."

"Are you sure?" Hermione frowned. "I hear it can be very painful and with Harry's lack of experience, it could cripple your mind and memory," she warned. Sirius simply chuckled.

"Well, it's either that, or we practice on one of you two." Ron seized up at this. "I would think my life is a little less important than yours," Sirius smiled. Harry took a deep breath, pulling out his wand. Ron and Hermione readied themselves in case something bad happened.

"_Legilimens_," Harry cast, suddenly feeling a pull. The next thing he knew, he was running through the wood alongside a stag, rat and werewolf. Harry felt his head shift, that rat looked familiar. Everything suddenly shifted again. He found himself in a bedroom. He couldn't hear anything but he could see himself arguing with a rather large woman before he was storming out of the room. Then, as quickly as it came, he was back in his own body.

"What happened? Did it work?" asked Ron as harry staggered back. Hermione helped Harry steady himself as he shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts.

"It works, Ron, but I really don't know what I saw," Harry answered. He looked at Sirius, who seemed shaken up but not because of the spell.

"That would be my two most influential memories," Sirius explained. "The first was one of the nights my friends and I would take running in the forest. The other was when I ran away from home," Sirius explained. Harry nodded.

"I don't think we will have to worry about the spells; all we need is the potion brewed," Harry explained as he glanced over at Hermione.

"You are going to have to help, Harry. I can't handle research and potions at the same time," Hermione reminded. Harry nodded; he didn't want her doing everything like last year. "It will take a month or so. It would be best for us all to get some rest and catch up on our homework," she prompted. Ron rolled his eyes.

"Actually, I've already got a head start on it. With all the extra work I took on, I finished my homework early," Harry admitted, fidgeting a bit.

"Not you too," Ron groaned as Hermione did a silent fist pump. She grinned over at Ron. "You're not going to convert me, Hermione," he huffed as Sirius chuckled at their banter.

"Now then," Sirius announced, drawing the attention back to himself. "Let's concentrate on the animal." Harry suddenly felt his mind go back to the memory he had seen; he knew what it felt like. He closed his eyes and suddenly, he no longer felt like himself. Blinking, he saw a furry snout before his eyes and was now on all fours.

"That was a lot less painful than I thought it would be," Harry barked out as he soon realized that, for the second time today, he had made Hermione speechless.

* * *

><p><strong>This chapter was written by starwarsdude8221991. Not much to say, expect to R&amp;R as always! 3 LE.<strong>

***P.S. If you guys do leave a review, could you please leave more than a "good job" and such. I'm really looking a critical review, including things that can be worked on and things that you guys really liked. Thanks! ~LE**


	11. Lessons Learned

****Disclaimer: I do not own anything classic of this story. Harry Potter and all of the notable characters belong to J.K. Rowling, aka, God. All original characters are copyright of me, however.****

* * *

><p><span>Magnolia Crescent<span>

Chapter Eleven

Lessons Learned

Lupin thought of the day's events as he hurried to the Headmaster's office. He rushed in, spotting the elder man sitting at his desk.

"Professor Lupin," he greeted with a smile. "Something wrong?" he asked, realizing that Lupin was breathing hard, indicating that he had run at least a good portion of the way.

"Multiple things, but I think the most important is Harry," Lupin explained. "Harry just learned the Patronus Charm," he blurted. Dumbledore simply blinked at this statement, as if it came as no great surprise.

"I always knew that young Harry had a certain knack for learning, no matter how much he tries to hide it," Dumbledore shrugged, motioning for Lupin to continue.

"I just started teaching him that spell today," Lupin emphasized. Dumbledore nodded, not fazed in the slightest as he stroked his beard.

"Well, he is very talented. I figured he would have had some trouble with the memory when it came time, but I assumed, correctly I might add, that Harry has an aptitude for Defense Against the Dark Arts." Lupin frowned, expecting something more but decided it wasn't worth pursuing.

"I was wondering. Harry brought up the Dueling Club, would it be possible for me to reopen it?" he asked instead.

"I don't see why not. I simply ask that you have another professor to work alongside you," the Headmaster advised. Lupin nodded, but didn't move as he began to worry his lip. Dumbledore studied him for a moment, taking in every detail before he stood up from his desk.

"Something is bothering you, Remus," Dumbledore commented. Lupin nodded as he stepped away from the desk. He glanced over at the fire for a brief moment.

"I've been wondering lately about Sirius Black, my old friend. I feel uneasy, almost as if I'm missing something," he explained. "I guess I still can't believe he would betray his friends. Because of his family, he always hated Dark wizards and the Dark Arts. It just doesn't sit well with me," Lupin said. Dumbledore seemed to frown under his beard.

"Seems I am not the only one who has had thoughts on the matter," he admitted. Lupin paused, surprised at this knowledge. "As you know, it happened it broad daylight, the day when Peter and all those Muggles were killed. With so many witnesses, the Ministry denied Sirius Black a trial, despite my many protests. I have come back to it many times, Remus, and I have also seen holes in the story that don't add up. Unfortunately, I am not as skilled an investigator as I would like to be. I have found nothing to prove one way or the other," Dumbledore finished with a sigh. Lupin nodded.

"Part of me still thinks we should have at least visited him," Lupin commented solemnly. "To at least get his side of the story," he lamented. Dumbledore patted him on the back.

"It wouldn't have done any good, Remus, you know that. Giving him any kind of hope would have just made him a much yummier target for the dementors. However, I wouldn't worry too much about him. I have a feeling he is much closer than we know and not as big a threat as the Ministry would have us believe."

"What makes you say that?" asked Lupin, turning to see a slight twinkle in the Headmaster's eye.

"Don't know, just some old ramblings. Nothing quite as sad as an old optimist, is there?" Dumbledore asked. Lupin smiled a bit, not sure of the exact meaning.

"Any recommendations on to ask?" Lupin started. "On the Dueling Club?" Lupin added, in case he was being too vague. Dumbledore ran his hand through his beard.

"I would suggest Severus, as he helped Gilderoy last year. It wouldn't be a bad idea to ask him to join," Dumbledore pointed out.

"Doesn't seem like a bad place to start," Lupin admitted, turning to leave. He faintly heard Dumbledore chuckle before the door closed. Snape would most likely be in the dungeons, Lupin thought. And if he denied, then maybe he'd ask on of the other heads of house. Minerva would be a sight to behold in a duel, he mused.

Secretly sitting in the Forbidden Forest, Sirius, Hermione and Ron all stared in shock at dog sitting before them. The dog was a black and tan shepherd dog, very much like a dog one would see on the police force. Most unique about this dog was its striking resemblance to Harry, a fact neither of his friends could get over. The dog's eyes were the same shade of green that Harry had, a color not seen in dogs. Around his eyes were round markings, taking the place of Harry's glasses, sitting just below a black lightning shaped mark at the top of the naturally marked mask. Sirius chuckled to himself; his godson was a dog, just like him. Oh, the fit of laughter and envy James would have thrown.

"Well that's surprising, a dog," Ron commented, watching Harry stand to shaking legs only for him to fall onto to his stomach. "Well, Harry, looks like you'll have something to keep you occupied – like learning how to walk," Ron roared with laughter, watching Harry stumble again.

"It's not uncommon for Animagi to have to relearn walking and such. It's going to be a little painful, trust me," Sirius said with a frown, rubbing his head in memory. "You think being a dog is hard? Your father could turn into a stag. That was a sight," Sirius said, laughing.

"How so?" Hermione asked quizzically.

"We learned the Animagus process in these woods as well. So, imagine if you will, a stag with a full rack of antlers, finally getting balance on his feet, only to get his antlers caught in the branches above," Sirius said, full out laughing now. Harry barked out what they assumed was a laugh while Hermione and Ron chuckled as well.

Harry pushed himself roughly to his feet, feeling weird without his normal sense of balance. After a long moment, his legs stopped shaking and were steady. He took a single step forward, only to fall face first into the dirt. He managed to come within inches of a tree but stubbed his nose on an upturned root. Frustrated, he forced himself to his feet and rushed forward.

"Harry, take it easy!" Sirius shouted. As he closed in on a tree, he tried to stop quickly, accidently twisted his legs under him, tripping and skidding into said tree.

Hermione rushed over him as he whimpered in pain, checking to make sure he was alright. Sirius was doing his best to keep a straight face, but was failing miserably.

"Harry, are you okay?" she asked, realizing that Harry couldn't answer as soon as she said it. Ron managed to get out a chuckle before Hermione glared at him, effectively shutting him down.

"Not as easy as it looks, huh?" Sirius commented idly as Harry relaxed his body. With a bit of mental relaxation, he returned to his human form.

"That was painful," Harry groaned, rubbing his sore wrist. "I thought the hard part would be the transformation, which was only uncomfortable." Ron offered him a hand up, pulling his friend onto his feet. Harry paused upon standing, regaining his balance before adjusting his glasses.

"I think we have got enough done. How about you relax for the rest of the day," Sirius offered. Harry shook his head.

"No, I want to get this taken care of," he insisted. Sirius frowned, placing his hand on his godson's shoulder.

"Look, right now, this isn't the most important thing you need to worry about. We should be happy you've gotten as far as you have and take it easy. You still have to finish the potion. Speaking of which and before I forget," Sirius paused. He held his hand out, into which Hermione placed a small vile. "May I?" he asked, motioning for a wand. Harry handed his over; Sirius placed the wand tip to his temple, pulling out a spider-web looking strand. He placed the strand in the vile before returning it to Hermione and giving Harry the wand.

"Well then, that leaves one last thing to worry about," Harry said, nodding his head. "Thanks, we shouldn't be long and we will have everything taken care of," he smiled.

"Good luck, and hopefully there won't be any more bumps in the road," he said. The three teens nodded in agreement as they headed back to the castle. Sirius shifted back into his dog form as he dashed off into the Forbidden Forest.

Harry walked back up to the castle, going over the memory he had seen. Something about that rat seemed familiar. If what Sirius said was true, that means either Lupin or Peter was the werewolf. 'I know I wouldn't want someone rattling around in my head, let alone talking about my private memories,' he thought to himself.

"Ah, Harry, just the person I was looking for," Lupin greeted. "I need your help with something." He smiled as the group looked at each other.

"Sure thing, Professor," Harry said smiling, always up to help.

"Well, I just got done talking with Professor Snape. He has gladly agreed to help me restart the Dueling Club. All I need you to do is spread the word, gather up some students," Lupin asked. Harry frowned, not really wanting to see the potions master.

"Okay," Harry said, a bit reluctantly. "Lupin, umm, I have a question; you wouldn't happen to have a Pensieve, would you?" he asked. Ron and Hermione looked at him in confusion for a second. 'Why didn't I think of this sooner? If one of the professors has one, we could have skipped all the stealing,' Harry frowned as he thought. He noticed Hermione pinch the bridge of her nose in frustration, realizing the same thing.

"That's not exactly an everyday tool, Harry. I am afraid no, in fact, I don't believe any of the teachers have one," Lupin mused. "Why do you ask?"

"No reason, just wanted to see how one works. Very interesting works of magic," Harry half-lied. Lupin didn't seem too convinced but decided not to press the question. "But back to the matter at hand. I'll talk to some people and see if they might be interested," Harry said, hurrying off with his two friends close behind him.

"We'll be in the Great Hall!" Lupin shouted as they ran off. "Almost forgot to tell them where to meet," Lupin muttered to himself.

The group spread the word around a bit before making their way down to the Great Hall themselves. Thankfully, the instructor wasn't wearing anything too flamboyant, unlike last year. This time around, it seemed a complete opposite. The trio turned the last corner as the sound of someone slamming into a table reached their ears.

"Bloody hell, we got here just in time," Ron said excitedly, smiling as if Christmas had come early. For the sight that beheld them, it very well might have. Malfoy was lying on the ground, seeming to recover from an unknown spell.

"Leo," Hermione enthusiastically identified Malfoy's opponent. Ron looked a little torn for a moment, but his hatred of Malfoy beat out his dislike of Leo.

"Kick his arse!" Ron shouted at Leo as Malfoy got back to his feet. Hermione shook head as the statement brought a bit of attention to them. Leo noticed them, waving a moment; Malfoy grabbed hold of the opportunity.

"_Depuslo_!" he cast. The blast hit Leo in the side, knocking him into the air before he rolled to the end of the stage. A small amount of laughter could be heard.

"Holmes! Focus on your opponent! Waving to friends," Snape sneered, "in the middle of a duel will just get your face removed," he chastised. Harry could see the two Slytherins glaring at each other as Leo got back to his feet.

"For those of you just join, we will be getting more stages soon enough, but you need to sign up if you want to practice," Lupin called.

"Holmes, stop holding your wand so tightly. You'll break it," Snape snapped. He quickly moved past Malfoy and forced Leo to adjust his grip. He glared at Snape's back as the professor walked away. Harry had pushed his way through to the front; thankfully, the crowd wasn't as thick as he first thought.

"You're next, Potter," Malfoy sneered, noticing Harry. Snape began to count down from three.

"Last I saw, you couldn't handle another Slytherin. You think you could take Harry," Ron teased.

"Shut your gob, Weasley," Malfoy barked.

"One," announced Snape. Malfoy panicked, realizing he wasn't ready.

"_Carpe Retractum_!" Leo cast. Malfoy watched as his wand flew out of his hand. Filled with shock, he failed to see where it went. He glanced down the stage to see Leo taunting him with it.

"I guess money isn't everything," Leo smirked, walking over to Malfoy and handing back his wand. The blond glared at him, snatching at the wand.

"I feel torn," Ron admitted. Harry glanced over. "On one hand, Malfoy got his. On the toher hand, it's a Slytherin that did it. I'm torn between mocking Malfoy and being depressed it wasn't me," he said, frowning. Harry patted him on the back.

"I'm sure you'll get him one of these days, Ron," Harry encouraged with a smile as Ron playfully pushed him back.

"Yea, I am," Harry admitted. Ron visibly slumped. The stopped when Lupin appeared behind them.

"Glad you could make it. Anyone want to give it a try?" asked Lupin. Harry wasn't up for it, but Ron made his desire known.

"I would love to!" Ron all but shouted, throwing his hand into the air. Lupin smirked.

"Next up: Ronald Weasley and Dante Allen. Make your way to the stage!" Lupin shouted. He moved away as he noted who wanted to have a round.

"Don't feel like getting tossed around?" Hermione asked with a small grin. Harry shook his head.

"I'm still sore and worn out from my earlier lessons. How about we get back to work on that potion. What did we need to add in?"

"Gillyweed, but the next part is tricky," she sighed. She handed him a small list of instructions. "You follow those, and we shouldn't have any problems. I need to get to the library to look up more statutes," she instructed.

"For the hippogriff, right?" asked a voice. The two turned to see Leo adjusting his shoulder-length hair, tying it back with a leather strip. "Hey beautiful," he greeted. Hermione looked like she wanted to blush and hit him at the same time, but she remained neutral.

"Yes, Hagrid'a friend of ours and we are trying to help him out," Harry informed impartially. Leo nodded.

"You know, Hagrid seems like an okay guy, but that type of legal battle is against him. So if you're feeling daring, your best bet would be to prepare for the worst. What happens if he is sentenced?" asked Leo. Hermione frowned at this but Harry understood his meaning perfectly.

"That wouldn't be legal," Hermione scolded.

"It's only illegal if you get caught," he said, a devilish smirk on his face. "Besides, the funny thing about magical creatures is that they have a frustrating ability to magically disappear. But what do I know. Well, I'm going to get back in line. See you around." Leo shrugged, waving as he disappeared back into the crowd.

"What an odd guy," Harry mused, glancing over to his friend. "He does have a point. We may want to talk to Hagrid about what to say as well as what the law says," Harry admitted. Hermione nodded. "Well then, I got some potion brewing to do," Harry shrugged as he walked off.

"Weasley, your form is too stiff, don't forget to move. Standing still will only make you easier to hit!" Snape shouted.

"Why he ever became a teacher, I'll never know," Harry wondered aloud. Moving past the groups of students, he made his way to the haunted girl's bathroom.

"Harry!" called out a familiar voice. He turned to see Katie Bell, one of the chasers. Harry blinked; most of the other players didn't talk to each other much outside of practice.

"Hey Katie," Harry returned as she approached him. "Does Wood have another practice planned for us?" The girl had dark blonde hair and brown eyes; she was a rather pretty witch in his opinion.

"Harry, I'm hurt. Do you think the only time I would talk to you is if it's about Quidditich?" she asked, frowning. Harry felt a slight ping in his chest at the hurt expression she was giving him.

"Sorry," he apologized, not really knowing what to say. She brightened back up at that.

"It's okay. No, I heard some rumors going around that the Dueling Club was back up. Is that true?" she asked. Harry nodded.

"Yeah, same place as last time," he admitted.

"Thanks," she smiled, giving him a quick hug before running off. Harry blushed a bit but she didn't notice. Adjusting his glasses, he returned to the task at hand. Moving quickly, he made his way to the bathroom. Nobody was around, he quickly stepped into the stall and looked over the potion as he glanced at the piece of paper Hermione had given him.

* * *

><p><strong>This chapter was, once again, written by starwarsdude. Hopefully, the next chapter will be up soon. I hope you guys enjoy this one. As always, please R&amp;R. ~LE<strong>


	12. Into The Past

****Disclaimer: I do not own anything classic of this story. Harry Potter and all of the notable characters belong to J.K. Rowling, aka, God. All original characters are copyright of me, however.****

* * *

><p><span>Magnolia Crescent<span>

Chapter Twelve

Into The Past

Harry watched as the liquid clouded over, taking on a silvery hue. He looked over the notes, feeling in his pocket before realizing that he had no idea how to pull out any of his memories. Taking a deep breath, he sat down. Hermione was researching and Ron was dueling. Harry frowned, realizing he didn't have anyone to talk to outside his small circle of friends. He sighed and locked up the potion. His mind began to wander when he heard Myrtle moaning. Not really interested, he headed out to the main floor. There was a bit of time left before curfew hit.

"What to do?" Harry mused to himself. He had his homework done for the day and everything else was taken care of. He snapped his fingers as an idea hit him.

Pushing off of the ground, he drifted out onto the Quidditich pitch. Moving slowly, he closed his eyes; the pitch was nice and silent. The green grass showing as the remaining snow melted; the different house colors; the place was peaceful. Slowly circling the field, he heard another person kick off.

"Hey, Harry," Wood greeted. Harry looked over to see the Gryffindor captain.

"Wood. This is a surprise," Harry said, blinking as Wood flew up next to him, chuckling.

"That's my line, Potter. After all, I do this every day. Seeing you here outside of practice and games, not that's a surprise," Wood replied with another laugh.

"True, but all things considered, you do work us to the bone during practice. It's a wonder anyone can stand looking at a broom after you're done with them," Harry joked.

"It's the best way to tell who takes the game seriously. After Charlie left the team, we had poor luck finding anyone who wanted to be seeker and could keep up with my practice times. There were a few, but most who joined fizzled out and left. You are perhaps the only seeker outside of Charlie that could keep up," Wood explained. Harry nodded; Wood was always trying to improve the team and it wouldn't surprise him if a few were chased off.

"Well, I guess I just love the game so much that even the worst slave driver couldn't chase me off," Harry laughed. Wood joined in for a moment.

"So, Potter, you plan on going pro after school?" he asked. "I do and I wouldn't mind having a seeker I can trust." Wood smiled. Harry turned a bit red at the praise.

"As much as I would love to, I doubt I could compete on the pro circuit," Harry dismissed. Wood frowned a bit at hearing this.

"Harry, if there was anyone who I think deserves to go pro and has the skill, it's you, Potter. You've caught the Snitch when it shouldn't be physically possible. You're not only the youngest seeker; you're one of the best, Potter. You've got to have some faith in yourself and follow your dreams. That's what I am going to do as soon as that final class ends. I am going to try out for a pro team," Wood exclaimed. Harry smirked; the older student never made it any secret that he wanted to go pro.

"Well, I do enjoy the game, so I'll think about it. Let me know what it's like when you get a team," Harry said with a smile. "If anyone has the skill and the drive, it's you."

"I know," Wood agreed. He frowned when he took note of the time. The two dismounted and Harry returned the broom to the stand with a resigned sigh before following Wood to the school in silence.

Harry quietly sat on his bed; he could hear Ron's breathing not too far away as he glanced over the Marauder's map. Ron had been going on about Scabbers when he got back. Hermione had passionately defended her new cat as Ron continued to believe that Crookshanks was responsible for his rat's disappearance. He was flipping over the pages when something caught his eye.

"Peter?" he frowned, spotting the familiar name. Harry thought over what he knew as he came to a simple conclusion. "Peter betrayed my parents, faked his death and got Sirius framed. If I can capture him, that would be even more concrete proof for Sirius," he muttered, quickly pulling out his wand and, following the map, dashed out of the common room.

Harry slowly followed the map with only his wand to guide his way. He soon found that Peter was moving towards him. Harry felt his heart beat faster as he slowly moved closer to the man's marker only to be met with nothing. 'Rat!' he realized, dropping to the floor and spotting beady eyes. The animal dashed off with Harry tearing after it. "Mischief managed. Stupefy!" Harry cast but Peter dodged out of the way. He had just turned the corner as the rat vanished behind a pair of legs.

"What are you doing?" said the cold voice of Professor Snape. Harry tried to give chase but Snape stood in his way.

"Chasing a rat," Harry replied with venom dripping from his words. Snape seemed surprised at the tone, turning and failing to see anything.

"Clearly," he drawled. "Turn out your pockets." Harry frowned, digging into his pocket. He kept trying to see around Snape but couldn't see any rats.

"What's this?" asked Snape, grabbing the Marauder's map from Harry.

"Just a piece of parchment," Harry replied, gripping his wand. If Peter got away and Snape kept the map, he wouldn't be able to track Peter down. Snape handed the map back, tapping it with his wand.

"Reveal your secrets," Snape said, frowning when he noticed nothing. "Read it," he suddenly ordered.

"Mr. Moony presents," Harry paused, grimacing and looking at Snape.

"Go on," he snapped. Harry took a deep breath.

"You asked for it," he warned, continuing. "His complements to Professor Snape and begs him to keep his abnormally large nose out of other people's business. Mr. Prongs agrees with Mr. Moony and would like to add that Professor Snape is an ugly git. Mr. Padfoot would like to register his astonishment that an idiot like that ever became a Professor. Mr. Wormtail bids Professor Snape good night, and advises him to wash his hair, the slime-ball," Harry finished, feeling very small before the Potions master.

"Is there a problem?" asked a voice. Harry turned with great relief to see Lupin behind him.

"I caught Mr. Potter wandering the school well past curfew. He had this on his person," Snape informed, snatching the map back. Lupin gently took it from Snape.

"This seems to be nothing more than a joke that insults anyone who tried to read it." Snape moved to take it back, which Lupin avoided. "Never the less, I'll look over it just in case. That is my field of expertise, after all. Come, Mr. Potter," Lupin said, nodding as the two walked away.

"Put that light out," one of the portraits complained as Harry followed Lupin. They arrived at Lupin's office and he set the map down on his desk.

"First off, Harry, what are you doing out of bed at this time of night. And with a killer on the loose," Lupin chided. Harry felt the urge to argue that last claim but kept his mouth shut. "Secondly, I can't believe you didn't turn this in. Do you know how dangerous this would be if it fell into the hands of Sirius Black?"

"Sir, please. I was chasing after a man who, in all reality, should be dead – Peter Pettigrew," Harry blurted, unable to stop himself. Lupin stopped cold as he analyzed Harry.

"Are you sure?" asked Lupin, glancing down at the map.

"Wait, how do you know what that is?" asked Harry, realizing he never informed the teacher of what it did. Lupin activated the map, looking for Pettigrew's name.

"Are you sure?" Lupin repeated. Peter's name was nowhere to be found.

"He was a rat. I was chasing after him when Snape found me and kept me from following," Harry explained. Lupin sat down at his desk, mulling over what Harry said.

"A rat," Lupin rolled the words around in his mouth. "Any features you can describe?" he asked. Harry shook his head.

"It was dark, all I saw were his eyes," Harry admitted with a frown. Lupin remained quiet.

"Head back to bed, Harry. Don't worry about this; as a professor, I'll keep an eye on things. And don't take any side trips, if you do, I shall know," he warned, tapping the map. "If what you saw is true, this could be very important." Harry nodded, walking away from the room; Lupin watched him leave.

The next morning couldn't have passed any more slowly. With the potion part of the Penseive completed, he really didn't want to be sitting in class, especially not after what happened last night.

"Page 394, Potter!" Snape shouted, snapping Harry from his musing.

"Sorry, Professor," Harry apologized. Snape rolled his eyes, continuing with his lesson. Ron nudged him after a moment.

"Harry, you okay? It's not like you to zone out like that," Ron whispered, watching the Potions master he walked back to the front of the class.

"The potion's finished. I really want to get everything done and prove his innocence. All this class work feels like time that could be better spent," Harry whispered back. They fell silent as Snape turned to face the class.

"Mr. Potter, if you would please be so kind as to inform me of one of the primary ingredients for the hair-raising potion."

"Porcupine quills, Professor," Harry repeated. Snape blinked.

"Good to see you did your homework, Potter," he finally managed. Harry noticed a small smile slip on the man's stone face as he continued. "Now then, who can tell me another important ingredient?" Snape asked as Hermione's hand went straight up, a large smile evident on her face.

"Harry, you're starting to worry me," Ron commented, concern in his voice. "I mean, you've actually done your homework in advance. Plus, you're correctly answering a teacher's question. Bloody hell, mate. You're becoming more and more like Hermione every day." Harry couldn't tell if he was joking not as he leaned over.

"Almost all potions have quills in them, at least the last couple have. Just a lucky guess," Harry whispered back. He returned his focus to the professor as the rest of the class dragged on. Harry all but looked like a zombie at the end of the day. When the final class was released, he all but ran to the bathroom. 'I hope nothing bad happened to it,' he thought to himself, frowning. Dashing into the bathroom, he heard Ron and Hermione behind him.

"Ready?" he asked. The two nodded as Hermione pulled the cauldron out of the stall. Ron moved over, pulling out a small basin for the Pensieve as Harry and Hermione began to cast the spells. Harry frowned in concentration; the spells weren't intertwining very well and it was quickly becoming a painfully long process. After another hour and a half, the spells finally clicked together. Hermione dropped to the ground in exhaustion as Harry moved for the potion.

"Please be careful, Harry. If you pour it too quickly, it will rupture the spells. Then we'd have to start all over," Hermione reminded. Harry nodded, carefully pouring the liquid into the basin. With the Pensieve now completely finished, Harry dropped to the ground. Once again, the group, mostly Hermione, had managed to put together something well beyond their age.

Harry sighed in relief. Everything seemed to be coming together incredibly fast. Hermione looked over the spells, making sure everything was ready.

"Looks good to me, but I want to test it first. Either of you got a memory you don't mind sharing?" she asked, looking at the boys.

"Sure, I got a quick one, but how do I get it from my head to the Pensieve?" Harry volunteered.

"…then you need to hold your wand to your temple and concentrate on the memory, Harry," Hermione explained. Ron yawned; the poor redhead hadn't been given much to do – not that he really cared. All he wanted was something to keep his hands busy. Harry did as he was instructed and slowly pulled out a memory. Harry placed it in the basin as all three gathered around. Harry and Ron looked at Hermione for a how-to. She pressed her face into the liquid, taking a deep breath as she did so. The boys followed suit, falling into the memory of Harry's conversation with Katie.

"This is so weird," Ron commented as a person walked past him.

"That's what I look like," Harry said in disbelief, nervously brushing his hair down. He circled himself, listening to his own voice. "I sound weird," Harry said, noting Hermione's giggle.

"Now you know what we have to put up with," Ron said with a smiled as they noticed Hermione looking over everything in the memory. She eventually paused and Harry could have sworn he saw an emotion flash across her face he didn't quite recognize.

"Everything check out?" asked Harry, snapping her out of her thought. She nodded, watching Katie give Harry a hug. Hermione seemed to glare at her for a second. "Hermione?" Harry called.

"Yeah, it's not perfect. The edges of your memory seem a little fuzzy at times, but it's good enough that unless someone tampers with the memory it should be clear." The pulled back as Ron took a deep breath.

"Still feels bloody weird," Ron said, shaking. Harry smirked as Hermione pulled out the vile with Sirius's memory. She was unstoppering it when Harry grabbed her wrist.

"I want Sirius in on this one. That way he knows it works," Harry explained. Hermione nodded in understanding.

"So, how do you plan on getting it to him?" asked Ron. "It's not like we can shove it into something."

"My dad's old cloak," Harry said after a moment's thought. "We hide one of us under it with the basin and we should have no problems."

"Brilliant," Ron said cheerily.

"We'll be right back," Harry said to Hermione, smiling as he ran out of the bathroom with Ron. They raced to the Gryffindor common room, passing Neville along the way. Harry threw a greeting his way as he flew up the stairs, immediately rummaging in his trunk. It didn't take long for him to find the item in question, his Invisibility Cloak. They met with Hermione in bathroom, where it was quickly decided that Harry would carry the basin, as it was bound to be getting late and the teachers had established an earlier curfew for Harry to be inside by.

They were just heading to the Forbidden Forest when Hermione noticed Hagrid. They stopped, noticing that he was skipping rocks into the lake.

"The trial," Hermione realized as Harry felt a pain in his chest. "I totally forgot it was today," she groaned in realization.

"That's surprising. You never forget anything," Ron said, astonished. Harry frowned under the cloak, torn between wanting to talk to Hagrid and wanting to prove Sirius's innocence. Ron seemed to sense this.

"We got time, mate. Sirius waited this long, I think he can wait a little while long. We should check on this," Ron commented. Harry glanced around before setting the basin down and removing the cloak.

"Hagrid," Harry called out, but the man didn't respond. "How did the trial go?" he asked gently as they stood on the bank.

"I told the judge he was a good Hippogriff, always cleaned his feathers. But," he paused to skip another rock and take a deep breath. "Buckbeak's been sentenced to death." He sobbed as stone he was about to skip dropped loudly to the water. Harry frowned and Hermione gasped.

"How long?" he asked quietly.

"We can't give up. There has to be something we can do," Ron pleaded. "We can let him go."

"They would know I don' it," Hagrid said with a frown. "We got a few more days. Thanks for trying, I really appreciate it." He sighed, giving a defeated smile to the three as he walked to his cabin disheartened. They looked at each other before Harry picked up the basin and cloak.

Their walk became somber as they entered the clearing where they usually met Sirius. Harry set the Penseive down and the three of them relaxed a little bit. Ron leaned against a tree, Hermione opened up a book and sat down while Harry started to pace, his thoughts tracing back to Hagrid. A half an hour went by before a black dog finally entered the area.

Sirius smelled the area. Once he was sure it was safe, he shifted back into his human form. He glanced down at the Penseive. "Umm, I may look like a dog most of the time. That doesn't mean I want to drink like one," he said with a smirk. Ron chuckled at his joke as everyone stood up.

Hermione pulled out the vile with his memories and poured them in as the four gathered around the basin. Harry took a deep breath as he picked the basin up. Everyone slowly moved in as each person plunged into the memory.

They arrived inside the Potter's home in Godric's Hollow, their attention immediately caught by a heated argument.

"Why, Sirius? Why would we change Secret-Keepers?" James was saying.

"Because I will be suspected, Peter won't be! If I were to be placed under the Imperius Curse, I might be forced to spill," he pleaded.

"Sirius, we trust you. That's not something that is easily given at this time," Lily said, quieter than the other two as she rocked baby Harry.

"I understand, Lily, but I'm trying to look out for you three," he sighed, pacing the living room. James glanced nervously at Lily who simply nodded with a heavy sigh.

"Alright, Sirius. We'll make Peter our Secret-Keeper," James said, standing and placing his hand on his best friend's shoulder. "I just hope you know what you're suggesting," he said with a small smile. "Promise me one thing, though?"

"Anything," Sirius said.

"Pretend to still be the Secret-Keeper," Lily stated.

"You want me to be a decoy?" Sirius said dully. She nodded, smiling weakly. "Okay," he nodded.

The scene changed; they were still at Godric's Hollow, but it was much different. Harry was stunned as he watched a much younger Sirius race past him. There was a very large man he was running towards that Harry recognized at Hagrid.

"James! Lily!" Sirius shouted in horror as he dashed into the ruins of an old house. He stumbled, climbing over the ruins as he began to look for his friends.

"Sirius, they're gone," Hagrid said weakly, reaching out and putting a hand on his shoulder. Sirius spotted something as he pulled away from Hagrid's hand. Harry looked to his godfather, who had turned away from the scene. He pulled out a wand; Harry studied it for a moment before his thoughts were interrupted.

"It was your father's wand. I collected it from the ruins," Sirius explained, pulling at his tattered robes. Harry nodded, swallowing hard as the memory continued.

"Hagrid, he's my godson. Can I take him?" Sirius said, his voice hollow and force. Hagrid shook his head.

"Sorry, Sirius. Dumbledore's orders," Hagrid sadly denied. Sirius seemed to shiver but didn't reply.

"Of course, Hagrid. Take my bike, it'll get you to where you need to go," Sirius replied dully. Hagrid thanked him and after a pat on the back, left with the young Harry Potter. Sirius watched the two go as his expression hardened.

"Peter," he growled as the memory shifted. "Peter!" he shouted, chasing a portly man down a city street before tackling him to the ground. In the struggle, the two wands flew out of reach; Sirius becoming more animal than man in his aggression.

Sirius watched with a hard glare as he watched his younger self land a fist into the traitor's face again and again. In Pettgrew's scramble to get away, the sleeve on his left arm ripped, exposing a black mark. Upon recognition, Sirius's fury was renewed afresh. "Traitor!" he barked as Pettigrew used his feet to kick Sirius off. Now that he was free, he scrambled after his wand. "You sold them out! My best friend! You know I'll kill you for that!" Sirius hollered, aimed his reclaimed wand.

"Well then, let's not keep the dementors waiting," Pettigrew smirked. Sirius glowered, confusion flitting across his face as the rat pointed his wand at himself. Sirius barely had time to register what had happened. He looked around a moment to see the ruckus had drawn a crowd – Muggles from the looks of it.

"No, you fool!" Sirius shouted right as Pettigrew's wand caused an explosion. Bright light filled the area for a second before thirteen bodies were noticed around a small crater, none of them moving. Sirius crawled to the center first, finding only two things: a wand and a finger. "Ha-ha," he laughed in a bit of maniacal manner. He crushed Pettigrew's wand under his foot. Sirius only got to turn around before he saw the Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic, behind him. He didn't even have a chance as they blasted his wand out of his hand.

"Apprehend him. You, Sirius Black, shall be arrested for the murder of…." Fudge trailed off as he noticed a rat with a missing toe hiding in the trash.

"Scabbers?" Ron asked, recognizing the rat, turning to look at Sirius. He nodded as Ron put it together in his mind. Harry and Hermione gasped in surprise at they came back to reality.

"Convinced?" Sirius asked dryly, looking them over. All nodded as Hermione worked to retrieve the memory from the Pensieve.

"We need to see Professor Dumbledore about this. Immediately," Hermione decided. Ron gave Sirius a long look.

"Why didn't you say anything about Scabbers?" Ron asked.

"Would you have believed me?" Besides, from what I heard, he went missing when I turned up in the area," Sirius pointed out. "Sorry, kid, but if I have my way, by the end of tonight you'll be out of a pet." Ron gulped. "I'll stay scarce for now, until I can trust the Ministry. It's up to you three to show this memory to Dumbledore."

"I understand," Harry nodded as they quickly took off. Sirius adjusted his coat and turned back into a dog. He needed to be very careful tonight, lest Pettigrew get away. If he could capture that rat, his innocence would be guaranteed.

"Well, what do we have here?" replied a bearded half-giant as he picked up a rat. "Ron's been looking for you, little guy," he chuckled, nodding gruffly. The rat squirmed, attempting to get away but this was made futile by a cage. "Ruddy animal," Hagrid grunted, setting the cage on his table.

* * *

><p><strong>Written by starwarsdude. Oh, what a cliffhanger he gave ya! I'm currently working on Chapter Thirteen and I'm hoping to have it finished and up within a week. R&amp;R as always.<strong>

**~LE  
><strong>


	13. Freedom

******Disclaimer: I do not own anything classic of this story. Harry Potter and all of the notable characters belong to J.K. Rowling, aka, God. All original characters are copyright of me, however.******

* * *

><p><span>Magnolia Crescent<span>

Chapter Thirteen

Freedom

The trio raced over the grounds and the school halls to Professor Dumbledore's office. Harry stopped with horror at the stone gargoyle – he didn't know the password.

"Now what do we do?" Hermione asked, realizing the same thing. Harry shrugged.

"We can always guess," Ron suggested, shrugging as well. "Harry, you've been to his office before and passwords tend to be similar. What was it last time?"

"Sherbet Lemon," Harry replied. Ron gave them a confused look. "It's a Muggle candy. So, I'm guessing that it's going to be another Muggle candy."

"What else is there?" Ron asked.

"Ginger Cream," Hermione tried skeptically. Much to her surprise, the gargoyle leapt to the side, revealing a spiraling staircase. She shrugged, stepping into the opening. Harry and Ron followed, but not before giving each other a shocking look.

"How did she - ?" Ron started. Harry shrugged before Ron finished. Hermione smirked, something neither of them saw.

In a moment, they had reached the top and came upon a large wooden door. Without bothering with the knocker, Hermione pushed the door open, revealing Dumbledore sitting at his desk. He looked up a bit and didn't see too concerned to see them.

"Professor Dumbledore, sir," Hermione rushed before he could say anything. "You need to see this." She pulled out the vial of Sirius's memories and thrust them at Dumbledore.

"And what might this be?" Dumbledore asked gently, taking the vial and looking over it. "Miss Granger, is this…?"

"Yes, sir. They're memories. They belong to Sirius Black." She looked at the ground, avoiding his eyes.

"Oh, no," Ron groaned, slapping his forehead. "We forgot the Pensieve in the forest."

"No need to fret, Mr. Weasley," Dumbledore smiled, stepping over to a cabinet and revealing his own Pensieve. He poured the contents of the vial into the silvery liquid.

"You mean we could have just used," Harry started as rested his forehead in his hand. "All that effort and we could have just asked to use his."

"Harry, not many wizards have Pensieves. Besides, it was a wonderful learning experience," Hermione smiled as Ron and Harry exchanged uncertain looks.

"I shall return momentarily," Dumbledore said with a smirk, placing his face against the liquid surface. He was in for only a second as he suddenly pulled out. After a few seconds, he lifted his head and looked at them. His jaw seemed to open a bit as he studied the Pensieve as if looking for something.

"I see," he mused, stepping around to the far side of his desk having recovered from the memory.

"I thought looking at a memory took longer than that," Harry said, furrowing his brow. Hermione balked at him.

"You've never actually seen someone use a Pensieve before?" she asked. He shook his head. "The process is all in your mind, and therefore it doesn't take very long," she explained.

"Indeed," Dumbledore said, but they couldn't be sure he was talking to them. As Hermione had been talking, the headmaster had been sending a message.

"Magic can be confusing and awesome all at the same time," Harry mumbled.

"The Minister will be arriving here shortly," Dumbledore announced. "In the meantime, would you please explain how you came to possess these memories." Shuffling his feet, Harry slowly told Dumbledore about the night on Magnolia Crescent and when Sirius showed up after his first day of classes. When Sirius had done nothing to harm him, Harry saw no reason to fear him, even going so far as to talk to him regularly and to help prove his innocence.

"Please don't punish me, Professor," he mumbled, wincing.

"That would explain why one of the stalls in Miss Myrtle's bathroom was closed," he mused. Harry gave him an odd look. "I know much more than students seem to think, Harry. Probably why I was chosen to be Headmaster," he chuckled.

"What are you going on about now, Albus?" a voice said, coming from the open door. Harry turned to see the portly Cornelius Fudge, Minister of Magic, barging in with a few other officials not far behind.

"I have information regarding Sirius Black," he stated calmly.

"Excellent, let's hear it then," he replied cheerily, clapping his hands together.

"First, I am extending a pardon, thus allowing him to walk the school grounds and hallways freely. I wish to hear from him," Dumbledore said.

"I'll not have that!" Fudge roared, motioning to one of the officials. "The dementors will have him first, either that or when I'm dead!"

"Cornelius," Dumbledore attempted.

"Bring me the dementors, have them search the grounds – "

"Cornelius," Dumbledore stated more sternly, causing Fudge to stop talking. "This is still my school and I have the final say in what goes on. Therefore, Sirius will be granted a pardon. Young Mr. Potter and his friends will go and fetch him," Dumbledore said, handing Harry a roll of parchment. "If I hear that the dementors made an attack on them, the Wizengamot will be hearing from me. You know what consequences that can cause." The tone of his voice made it clear that this was not up for discussion. Hermione tugged on the sleeves of Harry and Ron, pulling them towards the door.

"And what of the hippogriff, when shall that be taken care of?" Fudge asked quite rudely.

"All in due time. But first things first," Dumbledore said, appearing to give Harry a wink. "Were you to be on your way?" They quickly bolted down the stairs, thoughts racing through their minds.

"Not Buckbeak, how're we supposed to deal with that as well?" Ron asked.

"What are you going on about?" Leo asked as they raced by. Hermione stopped in her tracks.

"Leo!" she said, snapping her fingers.

"I didn't do it," he said, throwing his hands into the air and glancing around. Hermione rolled her eyes, sighing.

"Can you do us a favor?" she asked.

"Depends, is it something that might get me in trouble?" he asked, a smile apparent on his face.

'Why, afraid of getting caught?" Ron accused, crossing his arms.

"Ignore him," Harry said, elbowing Ron. He grunted and cast a glare at him. "Yes, you could get in trouble – but only if you get caught."

"I think I can help you out, what do you need me to do?"

"You remember that I have been working on Buckbeak's case, right?" Hermione said. Leo nodded. "Hagrid lost. However, we don't want Hagrid to be heartbroken at losing him so we were wondering if you could possibly get Buckbeak out of there without getting Hagrid into trouble."

"My cunning skills have been employed by this young lady," he smirked, bowing in an overly dramatic fashion. "I will do what I can. How long do I have?"

"The Ministry is currently up in Dumbledore's office. Sometime tonight, they're going to execute him," Harry replied. Leo nodded, heading outside shortly after the trio.

Harry led them across the darkened grounds and towards the pitch black forest. Even though they had been in the forest many times at night, it took them a while to find the clearing where they usually met Sirius. He didn't even have to call Sirius's name; they heard a bark from the deeper part of the forest and within a minute, Sirius was entering the clearing.

"That was fast," he said after he shifted. "Did you already talk to Dumbledore?"

"Yes, and he's granted you a pardon," Hermione said, handing him the roll of parchment. Sirius ripped open the seal and quickly read through it.

"Lead the way," he said simply. His body was tense but, very much like his godson, he trusted Dumbledore's judgment. Heart racing, he followed the trio up to the castle. He half considered walking up there as a dog, simply to avoid the dementors. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed them seem to perk up at the gates and move closer, causing his heart to nearly stop. Apparently, Harry noticed this as well for he pulled out his wand and fell in step behind Sirius. Thankfully, they made it to the front steps with no problems. Pausing for only half a second to breathe a sigh of relief, they rushed to Dumbledore's office for the second time that night.

When Harry pushed open the door, he noticed that Fudge visually darkened at the sight of Sirius. The latter seemed to tremble at seeing the Ministry officials.

"Ah, Sirius," Dumbledore said with the air of greeting an old friend. "Come and sit." He waved his wand and some chairs appeared in the office.

"Please explain to me what is going on now, Albus," Fudge demanded. Dumbledore inclined his head towards Sirius, indicating that he should explain.

"Minister, please," he tried. "I'm innocent. You have the wrong man. Peter Pettigrew – "

"Pettigrew is dead, thanks to you," Fudge retorted, voice dripping with venom.

"No, you don't understand. He faked it," Sirius begged.

"It's true, sir," Harry interjected. "We can prove it. Hermione, do you have the memories?"

"They are still here in the Pensieve, Harry," Dumbledore said, indicating the basin. "Cornelius, all you need to do in have a look in here and you'll understand why." Dumbledore's voice was so calm that it took everything Fudge had to simply glare at the man. With a resigned sigh, he stepped closer to the Pensieve.

"Alright, Albus, but only because I want to take care of the hippogriff deal quickly and get back to the Ministry. Lord knows my staff goes cuckoo when I'm absent," Fudge stated, a small shudder going down his spine. In a matter of seconds, Fudge had pressed his face close to the Pensieve and straightened back up, a look of guilt-filled horror on his face.

"Thank you for the trial by the way," Sirius shot smugly, glowering at the Minister. Fudge balked a little bit, stammering out that something that sounded vaguely like an apology. Sirius smirked, glad to be the source of Fudge's discomfort.

"We've got to find Pettigrew," he finally managed. "He was the rat, correct?" Sirius nodded. "An illegal animagus and a traitor; oh, the charges he shall receive."

"Mr. Weasley, have you seen Scabbers lately?" Dumbledore asked, causing Fudge to look at him oddly.

"No sir, he's taken off. And we have reason to believe that Scabbers is really Peter," Ron admitted.

"How do you plan on scouring the grounds for a rat, Albus?" Fudge asked inquisitively.

"Our gamekeeper has taken possession of a very rare animal that will aid us," Dumbledore said, leading them out of his office. Fudge asked multiple times on the way to Hagrid's hut just what kind of animal he was referring to but Dumbledore made no inclination to answer him. When they arrived at the hut, he knocked on the door without saying a word. At this point, Fudge was positively angry and his voice was starting to rise in volume.

"Minister, Professor Dumbledore, sir," Hagrid greeted; but one could tell he wasn't too thrilled to see the Minister.

"Cornelius, could you perhaps be any louder?" Dumbledore asked calmly. "I don't think Fluffy heard you."

"You're lookin' for Fluffy?" Hagrid asked, stepping outside and closing the door. "He'll be so pleased to see you, Headmaster." Harry suddenly went pale as he remembered Fluffy and the heart attack the animal had given him on his first year.

"I am sure, Hagrid. We actually are looking to utilize Fluffy tonight," Dumbledore said. "Sirius Black here has been proven innocent."

"Innocent?" Hagrid roared, noticing Sirius standing behind Dumbledore and giving a sheepish glance at the half-giant. "How'do ya reckon?"

"Peter Pettigrew faked his death. We need Fluffy to locate him," Dumbledore calmly explained. "Would that beat all possible?"

"I guess so," Hagrid said quietly. He had begun to walk to the edge of forest, passing the pumpkin patch where Buckbeak was tethered. The three gave the animal a sympathetic glance as Hermione glanced around.

"Fluffy, as in the three-headed monstrosity you employed a few years ago?" Fudge demanded.

"The very same," Hagrid said gruffly. "What's it to ya?"

"I can't believe you allowed him to keep that creature. And on the school grounds, nonetheless! A three-headed dog is not something to be kept at a school and I told you that very same thing when you brought it up before!" Fudge was vehement.

"Ah, but Minister, I assure you that Fluffy is perfectly harmless," Dumbledore said as they stopped. Hagrid whistled and the trees shook as Fluffy came running. Harry suddenly realized the dog was a bit bigger than he remembered when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"What?" Harry questioned as he turned to see Hermione and Ron cowering in fear behind him. "What are you two doing?" Harry asked.

"You remember last time he nearly took our heads off," Ron said with a frowned as Harry glanced at the dog then back to them.

"Do you really think I'll be a good defense, and against a giant three-headed dog?" asked Harry. The two paused as they seemed to consider this a moment. They both opened their mouths to speak when the dog stopped digging up dirt and grass.

"There's a good boy," Hagrid said, clapping his hands. The dog dropped to the ground, rolling over to expose its belly, which Hagrid promptly scratched. Fluffly's back leg kicked in the air, all three head panting with happiness. When Hagrid went to pet their heads, they sort of snapped at each other, fighting for who got pet by Hagrid first. The dog finally settled down. "Hey you three want to give him a good pat?"

"Pat?" Harry repeated weakly as he suddenly felt very tense.

"A pat; he's a good dog when he is not on guard duty," Hargid informed. Harry didn't feel like chancing a limb.

"Maybe some other time," Harry replied, a nervous smile appearing on his face. Hagrid shrugged. Harry had to admit that it was an amusing sight, seeing a giant three-headed dog fighting with itself for attention. Hagrid riled up the dog, asking if it was ready to do some searching.

"I just realized something," Harry said quietly, looking at Ron and Hermione. "Do you think this would be easier if we had the map?" Hermione's eyes went wide with a 'you're-mentioning-this-now' expression.

"Why didn't you grab it?" she hissed.

"Because I don't have it," he griped. "Lupin does."

"Way to go, mate. Why does Lupin have the map anyways?" Ron asked.

"Long story," he sighed, not sure if he wanted to share. He looked up at the moon and noticed it wasn't full. He then looked over at Fudge for a moment. "Maybe not a good idea," Harry mused to himself.

"Right," Hagrid announced. "We are going to need something to go by scent wise." He smiled. Sirius moved forward, pulling out a piece of cloth.

"It's a bit old but it should do the trick," Sirius announced as he held out the fabric. Fluffy growled a bit as Hermione gripped Harry's shoulder. He held the cloth up to the dog. The dog snorted, blowing his hair back as it sniffed the cloth. The dog released a large breath as Sirius looked away.

"Dog breath," he frowned and Hermione giggled at his comment. Fudge grumbled as the dog started to sniff the ground and the air at the same time, beginning to approach Harry. He took a deep breath as all three were too scared to move.

"You sure you got the right piece of cloth?" asked Hagrid as he glanced over at Sirius. The dog started barking at Ron, who closed his eyes while his mouth started to twist in fear.

"Arf!" the dog barked and the trio suddenly jumped. The very forest seemed to echo with the noise as Fudge gave Dumbledore a confused look.

"Harry," Ron whispered as he tried to move. Hermione and Ron had now dug their hands into his shoulders.

"Wait, I fought a giant snake," Harry thought, bracing himself. "No!" Harry shouted and the dog backed off, whimpering slightly. Hagrid smiled at this handling.

"Hagrid, Peter's smell would be all over Ron; he was the boy's rat for a long time," Sirius pointed out, realizing they hadn't told Hagird that fact.

"You mean Scabbers? Oh, I have that ol' rat locked up in my hut," Hagrid announced as the whole group turn to look at him, wide-eyed.

"Why didn't anybody ask?" Harry questioned as he slapped his forehead. The dog apparently understood and started clawing at the roof of Hagrid's hut.

"It is the things that are left unspoken that tragedies are built upon," Dumbledore quoted. Harry frowned; the whole school year seemed to be one massive misunderstanding. One such misunderstanding landed a man in Azkaban for twelve years.

"What in heaven's name is going on here?" asked the familiar voice of Professor McGonagall. The group turned as Hagrid tried to keep Fluffy from pulling apart his hut. Harry turned to see Lupin as well as a few other professors.

"Hey Lupin," Sirius greeted. Lupin waved at him without thinking, looking at the dog for a moment.

"Sirius?" Lupin questioned, doing a double take as his rather rugged looking friend smiled at him. "I must be dreaming," he said as he realized the situation he found himself in.

"Good to see you. You're just in time for the capture of an old friend," he smiled as Hagrid finally calmed Fluffy down. The dog sat quietly, still managing to throw everyone's balance off. Hagrid emerged from his hut carrying a cage. Harry noticed Ron biting back words; he wasn't too thrilled with what they were doing even though he knew the truth about his pet.

"Eek," the rat squeaked as Sirius got closer.

"Aren't you glad to see me, Peter?" he asked, smiling grimly. The rat began to shriek even louder. Dumbledore drew his wand as he eyed the rat's foot.

"Missing a finger," Dumbledore commented, glancing over to the staff. "I would recommend everyone having their wands out and at the ready," he smiled cheerfully, pointing his wand at the cage. It broke open and a balding man appeared on all fours in front of the group.

"Hello Peter," Sirius smiled as the man faked a smile back.

"S-sirius," he greeted, trying to run for the woods. Sirius and Hagrid were one step ahead, grabbing him roughly by the arms.

"Well then, I do believe that settles the matter of Mr. Black," Dumbledore smiled, putting his wand away. Everyone moved around Peter, blocking any escape routes. "I do believe you owe someone an apology," Dumbledore reminded. "This will certainly bite the Ministry if there are any hard feelings on Sirius's part," he said, patting Fudge on the back.

"Peter! Get back here and face us like a man!" Sirius shouted. Peter had transformed into a rat and dashed between their legs. He quickly shoved his way through the crowd of people while Fluffy took a renewed interest in the animal.

"Aurors!" Fudge ordered. Nearly everyone chased after Sirius.

"That's not going to be good. Professor Snape, if you be so kind as to close off the barrier around the forest. I have a feeling Cornelius will be having a long night," Dumbledore commented. Harry waited a moment before taking a deep breath and rushing after his godfather.

"Idiot, he doesn't even have a wand and that place is dangerous," Lupin frowned, sounding like this was a regular occurrence for Sirius. Harry finally caught up with his godfather; nearly every wandtip was lit.

"Damn it, I lost him in the underbrush," Sirius growled. Lupin caught up to them, glancing around.

"What are you doing? You don't even have a wand. You are of no help to them. Let the Aurors handle this and head back to the castle as a free man," Lupin advised.

"I have been wanting to kill him for twelve years, I have a lot of stress to release," Sirius shot back.

"There are easier ways to release stress. You could always head to the – " Lupin stopped as he noticed Harry. Sirius took the opportunity and shifted into a black dog, trying to pick up the scent. Harry noticed Hagrid and Fluffy were searching as well.

Sirius suddenly took off in a direction while Fluffy moved into another area. The group spread out as they ran after Sirius. The lights from the other wands grew dim as they moved deeper into the forest.

"Damn it," Sirius swore after shifting. "He doubled back; I picked the wrong trail." He frowned as her headed back. Harry felt detached; he got Sirius free and that was enough for him. So long as Peter was on school grounds, he would be caught eventually. He turned back when a shadow froze. Not even thinking, he shifted into his animal form and lunged at the figure. Harry moved fast but felt slow at the same time, realizing his perspective was far too low. Harry paused when he realized he had no legs.

"Harry!" Ron panicked. "You're a snake!" Harry turned to see Lupin with a confused look and the other three in a panic, not sure how to react to someone with two Animagus forms.

Wand light filled the dark as Fluffy bounded towards them. Lupin turned Harry back to normal before anyone could notice. Harry picked himself up as he started to feel his arms, making sure they were still there.

"Bloddy hell, Harry, how did you do that?" Ron asked. Hermione began to look him over, making sure he was fine. Even Sirius was taken out of his revenge obsession for a moment as Fluffy ran past them.

"I don't know, but I don't want to do it again," Harry said with a shudder.

"Oh no," Lupin groaned, realizing that Hagrid was not with Fluffy. Sirius suddenly got a wicked grin on his face.

"Oh, this should be interesting," Sirius smirked, his mind making a decision. "Eat him Fluffy!" he shouted, deciding that his godchild was more important. Quickly putting his arm around Harry, he noticed that the change had really shaken him up.

"Harry, are you okay?" asked Hermione. The group moved back to the castle, noting that all the lights inside were on. They were surprised to see Professor McGonagall at the front doors.

"Dear me, what happened to Potter?" she asked, rushing over to Harry. Nobody wanted to answer.

"Harry ran off with the others after Sirius, since he didn't have a wand. He got into a frightful scare with one of creatures out there. Sirius decided it would be best to us back to the castle and get everything checked out, just in case," Hermione explained quickly. The professor nodded, glancing over at Sirius with a look of approval.

"Very well, take him to the infirmary," she ordered as the group quickly moved into the castle. Harry glanced over to see a look of pride swell over his godfather as they walked through the doors. Harry didn't speak as they were led to the hospital wing. He had just been set down when the group heard Fudge shouting, growing louder as well.

"This day has been one problem after the next and now that hippogriff is missing as well," he all but shouted. Harry turned to see Dumbledore enter the room, closely followed by a ranting Fudge. Harry glanced over at Ron and Hermione with a soft smile.

"I heard you had a run-in with something out in the woods. Are you alright, Harry?" asked Dumbledore, promptly ignoring the Minister.

"Just a little shaken, Professor," Harry nodded. Dumbledore patted Harry on the shoulder, satisfied with what he had said.

"Sirius, if you wouldn't mind joining me and the Minister. We have some things we need to discuss," Dumbledore informed.

"You don't mind if I bring Remus with me, do you?" asked Sirius. Lupin seemed a bit surprised as the request but had no issues with it.

"Of course, but there are some things we will have to talk about in private regarding your legal rights," Dumbledore said, momentarily glancing at Harry. He frowned in confusion. Sirius seemed to brighten at this.

"I would be more than happy to take Harry in, if he is interested. As my duty as his godfather would entail," Sirius said, a large smile on his face as he glanced at the teen. Harry visibly brightened at that idea. Dumbledore smiled, but not in a kind way, striking Harry as odd.

"Of course, but you need to come with us. Some things should not be explained in front of children," Fudge informed. The four men exited the room as Harry glanced out of the windows. So many questions raced in his head as he thought about Buckbeak and his godfather.

"Let's hope everything works out all right," Ron said with a shrug, leaning up against the metal hospital bed.

* * *

><p><strong>Oh so much more has gone on! And the conclusion should be so interesting! Next chapter will be up before the weekend. R&amp;R as always!<strong>

**~LE  
><strong>


	14. Discussions

******Disclaimer: I do not own anything classic of this story. Harry Potter and all of the notable characters belong to J.K. Rowling, aka, God. All original characters are copyright of me, however.******

* * *

><p><span>Magnolia Crescent<span>

Chapter Fourteen

Discussions

Sirius and Lupin exchanged glances as the four men headed to Dumbledore's office. "Sorry Sirius, I really did think you did it," Lupin apologized. Sirius patted his friend on the back.

"Don't worry about it. I wasn't exactly model paragon of sanity when they brought me in," Sirius said with a shrug. "But it feels good to walk these halls as a free man," he smiled. The gargoyle jumped aside, revealing the spiraling staircase. They quickly moved up; upon entering, Dumbledore waved his wand and four chairs and a table appeared in the spacious center of his office.

"Now then, I think we should all take a seat. This isn't going to be a pleasant discussion," Dumbledore admitted. Sirius seated himself across from the Minister, not really sure how this was going to work out. Nobody wanted to speak, instead glancing back and for the between each other.

"I have a question," Lupin said, drawing everyone's attention. "Is my friend, since the truth about Peter has been revealed, getting a full pardon?" he asked.

"But of course," Fudge nodded. "Falsely imprisoning a man is a terrible accident. We will put in a full notice to the _Daily Prophet_," he explained.

"What about my estate?" Sirius asked, glancing at the man. Fudge didn't hesitate.

"All yours, since you are the only remaining Black family member – not incarcerated, that is," he muttered the last part. "The whole estate is yours," Fudge admitted.

"What about lost time? That was twelve years of his life. Shouldn't Sirius get something to help readjust? I mean, it would be unheard of for him to sue since he didn't get a trial," Lupin went on. Sirius smiled at that, glancing across to Fudge. "After all, falsely imprisoning a man for twelve years with no trial would be a terrible crime."

"Damn you, Crouch," Fudge muttered. "Of course, it would take some time to get everything in order. It would be appreciative if Black would go on record accepting our apology," Fudge explained. Sirius's face darkened a bit. He knew that Fudge could draw out whatever he could get if he didn't at least appear to be on good terms with the Ministry of Magic.

"Well, I would feel much better if the will of James and Lily Potter could be gone over. As the named godfather, I was originally supposed to take in Harry, should anything happen to his parents," Sirius smirked.

"I have no issues," Fudge replied. "But I do not know if Harry will go along with it. After all, he is living with other relatives." Fudge shrugged. Sirius glanced over at Dumbledore.

"Somehow, I feel that's not going to be the issue," he replied. "Harry was responsible for the recent string of proof in my favor and has shown some interest in leaving." Sirius met Dumbledore's eyes. "His current family are Muggles after all, and it can be difficult to raise a magical child," Sirius finished. Fudge either didn't notice or didn't care about the small amount of tension between the two men.

"Well then, if you want, we can finalize the paperwork next Friday. You won't mind if I have a press release on all of this?" asked Fudge, but his tone left little room for argument. Sirius nodded; he didn't have any issues since he was technically an unregistered Animagus and that would involve a lot more time in Azkaban.

"No problems. I do have something I need to look into but I can put it off for a while," Sirius replied. Fudge looked like he wanted to ask but decided not to. "As it is, I was also wondering if I could take a couple of tests – I don't have any job prospects. You wouldn't have any opening available, would you?" Sirius asked. Fudge seemed to think for a moment.

"We can let you test your magical skills out, but to be honest, we don't have any openings," Fudge admitted. Sirius frowned a little in disappointment. "However, I am sure Dumbledore could use a man of your skills," he added, passing the buck to Dumbledore. Dumbledore looked like he was about to speak but someone else spoke first.

"He is more than welcome to my job. I was planning on leaving at the end of school year," Lupin informed. Everyone looked at him, a little confused. "It has gotten out about my full moon issue and I believe it would be best for me to seek other employment," he sighed. Sirius frowned a bit, not sure if he liked the idea of taking his friend's job, even if he thought he could do it.

"I don't believe I would be qualified for the job," Sirius admitted. Lupin waved him off.

"Well, you survived Azkaban and you fought in the war against Voldemort," Lupin said. Fudge shuddered, looking over at Dumbledore. "Not to mention other things," he mumbled as an afterthought.

"Well, I don't see any issues," Fudge shrugged; as long as he didn't get bit for it, he was fine.

"I'll think about it," Dumbledore finally said after a long moment. "Now then, Sirius and I have some things to discuss if you two would be so kind as to leave," Dumbledore said. Fudge put his hat on, glad to get moving. Lupin glanced at his friend, an unsure look on his face, but with a nod from Sirius, he followed down the stairs as well.

After they had left, Sirius turned to speak but Dumbledore cut him off. "Look, Sirius, I know what you are going to say. I admire your desire to protect Harry but there are reasons I set him up with his aunt and uncle," Dumbledore explained.

"Dumbledore, he ran away from home," Sirius spelled out for him. "What good is any spell if he is miserable? Not to mention, he knows very little of the wizarding world and his parents."

"So, are you saying that his happiness is more important than his safety?" Dumbledore asked. Sirius snorted at that.

"He got attacked by a giant snake last year – that's your idea of safe? I could have killed him a hundred times over myself. That's hardly safe; not to mention, we both know there are safer places than a home in the suburbs," Sirius said, trying his best to control his anger.

"It's a magic caused by Lily before she died. So long as he is under his aunt's roof, he is safe," Dumbledore replied.

"In the house, maybe, what about after that? Does Harry even know?" Sirius said, exasperated. "Why does he need to be protected? Voldemort is more or less dead. Even if he did come back, do you honestly think Harry will be inside the house all the time?"

"I am not having this argument, Sirius. I know what is best for Harry's wellbeing," Dumbledore tried, but it was clear this discussion was far from being over. Sirius frowned; something was up.

"Dumbledore, what is it you know that I don't?" asked Sirius. The man ignored him for a moment.

"There is a prophesy about Harry: 'Neither can live while the other survives. He will mark him as his equal.' Voldemort has tied Harry and himself together. With his mentality, he will hunt the boy down. That house is one of the safest places in the worlds, thanks to Lily's magic. Taking him away will do him no favors," Dumbledore explained. Sirius frowned but didn't get a chance to retort as Professor Flitwick entered the Headmaster's office.

"Headmaster, I would like to know what is – Sirius Black!" he shouted, reaching for his wand. Dumbledore raised his hand in an effort to calm the tiny professor.

"Is innocent. Mr. Black and I were discussing Harry's wellbeing and where he should be staying," Dumbledore explained as if the fact that Sirius was getting more and more aggravated with the conversation was nothing important.

"Oh, my apologies, Mr. Black," Flitwick bowed. Sirius smirked a little at the display but didn't pay it any mind. "What about Harry?" asked the professor.

"Yes, as his godfather, I was asked to take him in. However, Dumbledore sees to believe he is safest where he is at now. I believe otherwise."

"Interesting, but might I insert my, how the Americans say, two cents?" He thought for a moment before continuing. "What does Harry want? I mean, the boy has proven to be very skilled and resourceful. I would imagine he has good judgment and would prefer it if you didn't argue over his wellbeing," Flitwick shrugged. "Now then, I best be off and leave you to it." He smiled as he turned to leave. Sirius smiled smugly, liking the idea though Dumbledore didn't seem to be as thrilled.

"Well Dumbledore, all the same, I do have some things I have to take care of. Now then, I do believe I will show myself out. I don't want to fight you o this; I have someone I need to see during summer. But when I get back, you and I need to have a proper conversation about this," Sirius said. "I respect you Dumbledore, but I want to fulfill my duties to James and Lily. So unless Harry doesn't want to come live with me, then I don't see why you need to argue with me about it." Sirius closed his eyes as he moved towards the office door.

"I understand, Sirius, but there are things that need to happen and I know you don't want them too. I need you to trust me on this. Harry needs to stay at Privet Dr." Dumbledore paused, hoping Sirius would see it his way.

"I don't think you really understand. I saw myself when Harry ran away," Sirius replied, not looking the man in the eye. "It took a lot to push me out that door. I knew Lily and I knew James; it took a lot to get them mad enough to walk out. If he is living somewhere where chancing the outside world is more acceptable than staying, than it's my job as his godfather to get him out." Sirius turned a hard glare on Dumbledore. "Think of it from that perspective." Sirius nodded, moving down the stairs and out of the office. He quickly made his way to the hospital wing.

"Whatever happened to turn Harry into that snake needs to be looked into. I don't like the idea of not having the answers when he needs them. And I know just the man to talk to and find out." He smirked to himself as he entered the infirmary. Harry was lying on his bed, wide awake. Hermione and Ron had already left for bed, which gave him time to talk to Harry without any problems.

"Sirius," Harry smiled as he noticed his godfather. Sirius blinked, swearing he saw James talking to him for a second.

"Good to see you are feeling better," Sirius nodded, taking a seat near the bed. "I talked to Fudge and Dumbledore. Fudge gave me a full pardon and I will be getting my parents estate back, so I will have a home if you are interested in joining me," Sirius informed, not too keen on seeing the place himself, but he wasn't going to live on the streets if he could help it.

"I would love that, Sirius," Harry said, visibly brightening at the idea. Sirius frowned at the fact that Harry would be so quick to take him up on the offer.

"Excellent. I would have to fill out some paperwork and it would take some time. I also may take over a teaching position here as well. But, before you get too excited, it is in the air right now." Harry nodded but Sirius could tell Harry wouldn't mind him being a teacher.

"That would be awesome," Harry smiled. Sirius was struck with sudden remembrance of Lily. He chewed on his lip for a second. "Something wrong, Sirius?" Harry asked, noticing the change in behavior.

"I need to look into something. The event in the forest has me a little concerned. I plan on heading to America. I should be back before school gets out. I'm going to see the man who man who taught us about our little gift," Sirius said with a wink. Harry nodded in understanding, but seemed to frown at the reminder of the forest.

"Well then, I need to get moving, to be honest. I have a lot of things to take care of and little time to do it in," Sirius replied.

"You know, I have a means of transportation that may help you out," Harry started with a smirk as he looked around. "And it would be very helpful to Hagrid if you would take it," Harry said in a hushed voice. Sirius blinked before realizing what he was talking about.

"I would have no problems," Sirius shrugged. He leaned in close as Harry whispered the creature's whereabouts. Sirius nodded as he stood up. "I will see you soon and I will hopefully have some answers." Harry smiled as Sirius turned from the room and walked out. "Now to find that bloody bird," he mused to himself.

* * *

><p><strong>So another chapter is up. This chapter was written by SWD. R&amp;R as always, we love it when you guys review our work. It makes us so happy to read such awesome reviews! And yay! We've crossed 100 reviews!<strong>

**~LE  
><strong>


	15. Leo's Tale

******Disclaimer: I do not own anything classic of this story. Harry Potter and all of the notable characters belong to J.K. Rowling, aka, God. All original characters are copyright of me, however.******

* * *

><p><span>Magnolia Crescent<span>

Chapter Fifteen

Leo's Tale

It was the following day at breakfast when Hagrid rushed over to the trio, tears in his eyes. Harry had just been released from the hospital wing and had yet to tell Hermione and Ron what had happened during the night. Hermione's heart sank and Harry vowed that if things hadn't gone right that Leo would be on a level equal to Malfoy.

"Hagrid," Ron said when he reached them. "What is it?"

"Beaky's gone," he sobbed. Hermione noticed a smile crinkling the corners of his eyes. "He disappeared while we was out there searching for Peter. Just took off; made the executioner so mad. Anyways, I came over here to thank ya for your help, Hermione." She beamed as Hagrid walked away.

"I guess Leo did his job," Ron said, smiling though he still disliked him.

"And now we don't have to worry about Buckbeak," Harry said. Before Harry could explain further, Leo walked up to them.

"Did it work?" he asked.

"Yes, Hagrid just told us that Buckbeak took off," Hermione replied. "How did you manage it? Half the time we try to sneak around, we get caught."

"Well, it was quite simple to be honest," Leo said. "But, I'd rather not explain it with so many ears nearby. Since its Saturday, want to walk on the grounds while I explain the hippogriff breakout?" They grabbed some toast and hurried out of the castle, eager to hear the story.

"Alright, get talking," Ron said, still not friendly with Leo. He was appreciative and that was about it.

"It's a very enticing tale, if I do say so myself," he chuckled. At a glower from Ron, he launched into his story.

Leo waited a moment before following the Gryffindor trio onto the grounds. He had no problems getting into trouble but he wasn't exactly planning on bringing them down with him. Best to put a bit of space between them. As he strolled casually across the darkening lawn, part of him wondered if maybe he should grab Dante and Alec to help him. He debated for a moment then decided that the less people that knew, the better.

"Leo! Where ya heading man?" Dante called. Leo groaned, turning to see Dante and Alec exiting the front doors.

"Son of a – What are you doing here?" Leo demanded. "Always when I don't need them," he muttered to himself.

"Dude, chill. We were wondering where you were. You hadn't come back from dinner and we didn't know if you were still in the Great Hall. When we walked into the Entrance Hall, we saw you sneaking outside," Alec explained in a slight Russian accent.

"Can you guys just go back inside now?" Leo asked, exasperated. Dante and Alec looked at each other for a second.

"Lyin', you know us. You have a knack for finding trouble and we're always along for the ride," Dante laughed.

"Fine," Leo growled. "Won't listen when I ask you to do something." He trudged across the grass, hands shoved deep in his pockets.

"So, what are we doing?" Alec whispered.

"Shut up!" Leo hissed. "We're rescuing the hippogriff."

"Isn't that stealing?" Alec asked skeptically.

"Think of it as," Dante paused to think. "Saving a helpless creature from death. Isn't that how you put it, mate?" Dante asked, gently nudging Leo. He nodded, shrugging them off. They sat hidden in the trees, Leo watching the pumpkin patch and the hippogriff. Dante and Alec were messing around and making a fair amount of noise. "We got one shot at this, so try not to make too much noise," Leo warned.

"You heard him Dante," Alec smirked, shoving the other boy. Dante frowned, pushing back at the brunet. Leo's eyes narrowed.

Leo grumbled, slapping his forehead. This was exactly the reason why he was a loner – he did things that could get him in trouble and those two knew just the way to blow a cover.

After about an hour, Leo noticed the Gryffindors walking back down the lawn. Only this time, there were three adults with them. He faintly recognized the Headmaster and the Minister but with the growing darkness, the third man was unrecognizable to him.

"Wait a minute, is that Sirius Black? That guy who's wanted for murder?" Alec asked, leaning forward. "Isn't he trying to kill Potter?"

"What do you care?" Dante remarked. "My only concern would be what they are up to. If it requires them to kill our target, we would have wasted all this time waiting," Dante added.

"Doubt it," Leo interjected. "The Ministry wouldn't bring children to an execution, duh." The way he said it sounded so childish that Dante couldn't help but snicker.

The Headmaster knocked on Hagrid's door and soon, they headed to the edge of the forest, where they stopped to wait. Leo heard a distant whistle and then the forest rumbled, as if shaking. Leo looked with wide eyes to the group on the far edge. Against the dark outline, he saw a giant three-headed dog running towards the group. His first instinct was to warn then of what was coming, but with the forest rumbling like it was, could they really not know? He decided to settle down and wait it out.

"Dude! Son of a banshee, what is that?" Dante asked with a low whistle.

"Ah, no way! You have one!" Alec said with awe, accent even more pronounced.

"Have what?" Leo hissed, trying to make them be quiet.

"A Cerberus!" Alec cried. "Drumstrang had one, even though we were told that they were quite rare. How did Hogwarts come to own one?"

"They don't," Dante contended. "It clearly lives in the forest. Maybe it belongs to that oaf."

"Settle down," Leo snapped. "And Hagrid isn't an oaf, Peak. In fact, he teaches the only class I truly enjoy." Dante looked like he wanted to further argue but Leo silenced him with a look. Instead, he slouched under a tree, straightening out his fauxhawk.

"Siding with the monster lover?" Alec asked with a smile. Leo groaned, resting his face in his hand. "What's so good about that class anyways?"

"Cause Malfoy got his in the first class, permanently making it good in my book. To be honest, I consider rescuing the hippogriff payback for all that whining we had to listen to. That'll teach him that his father can't get him everything. Now, if you two don't shut up, I will find a way to force you back to the castle," he finished with a threat.

"How much you wanna bet, he's just like his name?" Alec whispered to Dante; both sniggered. Leo sighed, ignoring them as he focused on the edge of the forest. "To be honest, Leo, I have to admit that I'm loving this idea of yours more and more."

"Not my idea," he muttered. Alec gave him a confused look. "Granger asked me to help, okay." Leo's tone made it obvious that he didn't want to explain any further. Hagrid walked back to his hut and shortly after he rejoined the group, another person had joined them. The commotion of the Cerberus had alerted some of the teachers from the castle and they rushed across the lawn to figure out what was going on. Leo didn't know what was going on but suddenly, the majority of people had rushed into the forest, wands lit and held high. He furrowed his brow, wondering what was going on.

Figuring he wasn't going to get another chance, he ran to the pumpkin patch, his mind trying to remember the correct way to approach a hippogriff. He bowed low, avoiding eye contact and noticed the hippogriff bow back half-heartedly. He grabbed the tether and gave a gentle tug but the creature didn't seem to want to move. Alec made a quiet sound and successfully got Leo's attention. He pointed to a string of dead ferrets not too far away. Leo made a gesture indicating that Alec grab them, but he only shook his head. Grumbling, Leo dropped the chain and repulsively grabbed the ferrets.

"I don't understand how that thing can eat those," Alec said, wrinkling his nose. Buckbeak perked up at this sight, standing and walking cautiously over to the Slytherins. Leo tentatively held one out and Buckbeak eagerly gobbled it up. He held out another one, slowly walking back towards the woods. Once they were deep in the safety of the trees, Leo thought of his next step: where to hide the hippogriff?

Sighing heavily, he sat down and listened carefully to the group of people running around.

"Now what?" Dante said aggressively.

"I'm going to wait," Leo said with a glower. "You two can go back to the castle. All I need is an opportunity."

"That's a tall order with all these adults running around," Dante noted. Leo glowered at him. He said nothing more and the other two Slytherins settled down to wait beside Leo. The time passed slowly while Dante watched for the group to head back to the castle. Buckbeak roamed a small area, snapping at bats and trying to steal more dead ferrets from Leo, though he usually got it in the end.

"Guys, four of them are heading back!" Dante called, running back over to his friends.

"We need them all to be gone," Leo hissed. "Get back over there!"

"He doesn't have to," Alec interjected. "Look, the rest of them are heading back as well. It looks like they're giving up their chase."

"Yeah, but more are heading out here," Dante said. "I think they just needed more man-power. Besides, we can't stay here forever."

"Let's head to that one clearing and think of something there," Alec decided, stopping Leo and Dante from arguing further.

"Excellent, let's move," Leo said, grabbing the string of ferrets. "Here Buckbeak," he called, urging the hippogriff to follow him, which he promptly did. They walked deeper into the forest until they came upon the clearing that they were looking for. The teachers had been a little too close to this spot for comfort, otherwise Leo would have led Buckbeak straight there and left. The clearing wasn't empty, however.

"Is that a dementor?" Dante asked, frozen on the spot. "It's cold all of a sudden," he noted.

"I see something, it might be Peter!" a voice shouted. The Slytherins glanced at each other, dashing behind a tree. A Ministry wizard entered the clearing. "Never mind, just a dementor. _Expecto Patronum_," he cast. The creature was chased away by a silver shield. Buckbeak snagged a bat out of the air as the wizard walked away. Leo glanced at his friends, all of them relaxing.

"That was close," he chuckled. The ground under the group shook as more wand lights flooded an area not too far away. The glanced at each other, all wearing a very worried and panicked expression on their faces. They watched a new scene unfold in the clearing.

Standing clearly visible in the moonlight was the Cerberus, stopping to snap at a small rodent on the ground. Each of the three heads began to snap at the ground and then at each other, fighting over who got to eat their new prey. After about five minutes of them continually fighting, the boys could no longer breathe because they had been laughing at the sight. Leo pulled two ferrets off of the string and lobbed them in front of the dog. The outer heads each snagged a ferret – which must have been more appealing than the rodent – leaving the middle head with the prey. It was promptly swallowed as one of the heads looked in the direction of the ferrets origins.

"Fluffy!" Hagrid called faintly. The dog, apparently named Fluffy, shot its head upward and, glancing back at the three boys, it bolted for Hagrid, shaking the forest as it did so.

"I thought it would never leave," Dante whispered; his voice sounded a bit weaker than normal. "I take back what I said about Hagrid." After the lights started to disappear and the dog was well out of sight, Leo led Buckbeak into the clearing and tethered him to one of the trees, dropping the pile of ferrets just out of his reach. Then he sat against a tree, figuring out what to do next.

"What did it eat?" Dante asked as the darkness became more pronounced. Leo shrugged.

"It looked like a rat," he admitted. "But now that the forest is starting to empty, where do we hide this big guy?" he asked with a frown, trying to think of some place that wouldn't be used this late at night. "What about the owlery?" he mentioned with a smirk. "Nobody goes up unless they need to use a school owl and who would go up there this late at night?"

"I don't know, Leo. Won't he try to attack the owls?" Alec brought up.

"I think he'll be fine as long as he has those ferrets," Leo said with a shrug. Alec and Dante shrugged as well before they quickly headed to the owlery. They kept to the edges of the forest as best they could. Leo glanced to one side and saw a group of wizards exiting, clearly dejected at something. When the clear was finally given, they led Buckbeak into the owlery, dropping the last of the dead ferrets beside him.

"Stay and be good," Alec said as if speaking to a dog. The creature paid him no mind and they quietly exited the tower. They paused to see a hooded man heading towards Hagrid's hut.

"Why do I have a feeling he'll be upset come chopping time," Dante said with a grin.

"Let's get out of here," Leo said, breaking into a run for the castle. Just after they made it into the front doors, they ran into Fudge.

"Oh my, what are you three doing out of bed?" he asked with a chuckle.

"We're looking for Harry Potter," Leo answered. "I thought he might have been down to visit Professor Hagrid but we didn't see him."

"Well, I say, he's in the hospital wing," Fudge offered. Leo looked only slightly concerned before thanking the Minister and heading up the stairs.

"Wait, you're really going to see Potter. I thought that was just your way of getting past that old goat," Dante scoffed.

"No, the hippogriff took a nip at me. I wanted to have Madam Pomphrey look at it, especially since I was handling dead animals," Leo lied.

"Well, see you in the common room," Alec said, walking towards the dungeons. Leo waved goodbye before heading up the stairs. Upon entering the hospital wing, he frowned slightly when he saw Harry alone. Too bad Hermione had already left.

"Leo," Harry greeted. "Any luck?" Leo gave him a small smirk.

"Lots, we had a few close shaves, but we managed to hide him in the owlery. We don't know exactly how to get him off school grounds just yet though," Leo explained. Harry nodded.

"Thanks, I'm sure the we can figure something out. See you tomorrow, then?" he asked. Leo shrugged, walking out and heading down to his common room.

"And there you have it," Leo surmised, clapping his hands together.

"Bloody brilliant plan, that was," Ron said with a grin. "But I would have expected you to change it and make you sound much better. I'm surprised he didn't even get caught."

"So what do we do about Buckbeak?" Hermione asked, stopping Ron from a rant she knew was coming.

"Already taken care of," Harry said with a knowing smile on his face. Ron wanted to ask but Leo spoke before he got a chance. He grumbled, crossing his arms.

"Yes, well, that's all fine and dandy. Granger, I'm curious – why haven't you been in Muggle Studies recently?" Leo asked, changing the topic.

"Oh, that," Hermione said, blushing ever so slightly. "At the beginning of the school year, I had arranged with McGonagall to take more classes than possible. Well, as the school year progressed and we ended up with side tasks, it became too much to handle. I dropped Muggle Studies and Divination to take Ancient Runes," she explained.

"Hang on, _you're_ in Muggle Studies?" Ron asked with stunned curiosity. "I thought all Slytherins hated anything Muggle related."

"That's clearly not the case," Leo said with a bit of an attitude. "And I'm not even pure-blood like almost all Slytherins are. If you must know why I took that class, my father was Muggleborn but never bothered to explain anything Muggle made. I'm a very curious individual and I wanted to know how they could possibly work without magic."

"He sounds just like my dad," Ron muttered to Harry. He nodded with a small grin.

"Well, it's sad that you decided to drop Muggle Studies, but then again, you are Muggle born, you probably have a better understanding of all things Muggle than most people do," Leo added as an afterthought.

"You'll have to keep me informed if anything interesting comes up in that class," Hermione said brightly. Anything that would allow her to learn more was excellent in her mind.

"Did you hear Sirius Black was running around the school last night? The rumors say that Peter Pettigrew was actually a rat in hiding." Leo trailed off, pausing for a moment. "I still can't believe that three-headed dog actually ate an Animagus, if it's all true, that is," he chuckled. After another minute, he walked off, leaving the three Gryffindors.

"Well, that's the end of Peter," Ron smirked slightly, still a little sore about losing his rat.

"Sirius got off as well. All that's left is the house cup and end of the year exams," Hermione said cheerily. Ron groaned upon hearing that.

"Harry, where's Sirius at? I haven't seen him since last night," Ron asked.

"He left, said he had something to take care of. He should be back before the end of the year, though," Harry said with a shrug.

* * *

><p><strong>OMG, I actually got to write a chapter! Somebody tell the press! I'm just kidding. SWD did some lengthening and editing to this chapter, but that's about it. Not sure what else to say. Oh, this chapter should clear up that "what bird?" comment. We apologize; we thought it would have been obvious, but oh well. Anyways, please keep the R&amp;Rs coming, we <em>looooove<em> reading your reviews!**

**~LE**


	16. The Travels of Black

****Disclaimer: I do not own anything of this story. Harry Potter and all of the notable characters belong to J.K. Rowling.****

* * *

><p><span>Magnolia Crescent<span>

Chapter Sixteen

The Travels of Black

Sirius pointed Buckbeak towards the ground. They landed on the roof of Number 12, Grimmauld Place. He quickly escorted his traveling companion into the house before any Muggles could see. Sirius sneered as he looked around the house, it lit up a bit as Kreacher appeared, snarling at the sight of Sirius.

"Welcome back, Master," he said with a light bow.

"Despicable reminder," Sirius growled, stomping over the house elf, not even wanting to look at the ancient servant. He stormed up to his room, knelt by the bed and began feeling under the mattress until he found he target. He smirked as he pulled out his wand and turned it over in his fingers. A sudden memory came upon him and he frowned. Twelve years ago, when he first confronted Peter, he had used James' wand. Unfortunately, it was broken now because the Ministry fools thought it was his. He pocketed his wand, standing to his feet.

"Best not dilly dally. Brom should know about Harry's recent transformation," Sirius mused, messing with his beard in thought. "Perhaps a haircut and shave first." He made his way to the bathroom, scratching his head as he inspected himself. He took great pride in his appearance and used his wand to remove the unwanted facial hair, returning it to his preferred goatee.

"Magic, how I miss thee," he chuckled, kissing his wand. He showered, savoring the hot water, before taking pleasure in burning his prison clothes. He snorted at the smell of mothballs as he adjusted the collar and vest of one of his father's old outfits. Satisfied, he silently headed to the basement kitchen, being followed equally as silent by Buckbeak. He chuckled, opening the fridge and tossing a large turkey leg to the hippogriff and grabbed himself a half-eaten sandwich.

"Can't believe that's still good," he chuckled after taking a bite. He shrugged as he finished the sandwich he had started nearly thirteen years ago. "Thank you, magic. I thought I would never get to finish that sandwich." Sirius chuckled once more as he bowed to the hippogriff. "Well, how about a decent rest because we've got a long trip ahead of us. Up for a trip across the ocean?" he smiled. Buckbeak chirped and followed Sirius to the bedroom.

"Wee!" Sirius called as they crossed the Atlantic Ocean. At first, their trip had been highly entertaining but after a while, he got very bored and saddle sore. Hippogriff riding was obviously not for long distances. He looked over the wings of the animal, wondering if it would be more eventful to swim when he finally noticed the landmark he had been looking for. "Hello, Lady Liberty. How poetic, huh, Buckbeak?" he asked, patting the animal's side. "Well, let's head south, my fine feathered friend. Time to meet an old buddy of mine in Salem." Sirius smirked as the hippogriff started to descend.

Sirius hopped off, allowing Buckbeak to rest his wings. He tapped the animal on the head with his wand, casting a Disillusionment Charm, and walked into the small American town of Salem. He frowned when he realized that he didn't know how to tell Brom about the current problem.

"Heh, ah, listen. You know that murder I was accused of? Well, they were wrong and I am innocent," he tried. "That sounds so lame. I can't just walk in like that. Damn, where's an owl when you need one?" Sirius asked, looking around. He sighed, moving down the street to an old, worn-down school house. The red paint was faded and chipping, coming as no surprise as it was one of the old one-room types. He took out his wand and tapped the door. It opened up and a staircase appeared below it, descending into the darkness. He was heading down when he was approached.

"Can I help you?" came the voice of an old woman. Sirius frowned as she lit an oil lamp. She was wrinkled and wearing an old maid's dress.

"Yes, I am here to see Headmaster Brom. I need to speak with him on an important matter," Sirius explained. The woman frowned but didn't move.

"May I ask who it is? Before I interrupt the Headmaster of the Salem Witches Institute," she said in a controlled but frustrated tone.

"Padfoot," Sirius replied. The woman nodded as she motioned a wrinkly hand for him to follow. She led him down a short corridor until they reached a spiral staircase. The wood gave way to nothing as she led him up the stairs. He looked around and saw the whole town below as they ascended. "Nice view," he commented. The stairs finally ended on grass.

The American schools were much different. Britain had castles and many places where Muggles didn't go. America had no such places, making schools harder to place. To compensate, they placed the school in the sky. Every week, a group of wizards would show up to make sure all the wards making it so were still in place. The school was unlike Hogwarts; it was very bright and much smaller because of its placement. He walked through the halls to see that most of the students were sporting Muggle clothing; there were no uniforms, whatsoever. Most of the staff members, however, still wore robes traditional to wizards.

They made their way through the crowded school. Nobody seemed to pay him much more than a glance. Americans, especially students, didn't really care too much about criminals from other nations. So it didn't surprise him too much when nobody recognized him. They entered into the main office and after a quick word with the secretary, he was pushed into Brom's office.

Brom was in many ways Dumbledore's opposite. He was much younger with brown hair and a goatee. If you looked hard enough, you could see some grey coming in. He was a bit darker than most but could still be recognized as Caucasian. His brown eyes and build were a bit more broad; not as skinny as most wizards. He wore a brown coat and dark green undershirt with a simple chain necklace. Brom looked up from his work, instantly recognizing Sirius.

"Padfoot," he smiled, standing to give the man a firm handshake.

"Talonclaw," Sirius returned as released the grip.

"Please, take a seat. What brings you to America? Last I heard, you were caught up in some war. Didn't really bother to keep up with it after that," Brom said with a frown. Sirius rolled his eyes; typical Americans. Unlike the government, most American cared very little about other nation's troubles, let alone their own.

"Well, we won for now, in case you're interested. A false imprisonment and a recent release have given me some free time," Sirius replied with a smile, taking a seat in front of the man's desk. Brom nodded as a flash of concern fell away from his face.

"Sorry to hear about all that, but you are out and that's what is important," Brom stated, nodding as he sat back down at his desk. "Rather surprised the government or the media hasn't made some big stink about it." He shrugged.

"I am sure you'll hear about it in the news soon enough," Sirius smirked. "Now then, I am afraid my reasons for coming here are not as friendly as I would like," he sighed. Brom frowned as he turned serious.

"Nothing illegal, I hope," Brom said, raising an eyebrow. Sirius shook his head, allowing Brom to relax a bit.

"Well, not in America anyway," he admitted. Unlike the Ministry of Magic in Britain, the American's were much looser on magic. In fact, an Animagus had next to no restrictions and even being unregistered would only get you a slap on the wrist. "I recently taught my godson how to shift. Much to my delight and surprise, he shifted into a dog," Sirius explained. Brom brightened a bit at that. "However, something happened the other day. He shifted successfully, but into something very different from his dog form – a white snake."

"Interesting," the American mused, rubbing his goatee as he stared off into space. "Well, there are multiple probabilities. If I remember correctly, and this godson of yours is who I think he is, Harry Potter, correct?" Brom asked. Sirius nodded as the man returned to motion. "Well, the most likely, if not most improbable, would be he is a PolyAnimagi. This, in layman's terms, means a wizard who can turn into many different animals." Brom smiled at this idea. "They are very rare and I have only met one in my lifetime," he smiled.

"Really? I have never heard of them," Sirius thought aloud.

"That's because in America, it's not as big a deal to be one, so we have people always researching. They pop up once every generation or so. I believe we would see more if some governments didn't put so many restrictions on them," Brom said, glowering. "Anyway, this is also shown to happen to people who are spilt in who they are and who they think they are. Maybe Harry is feeling conflicted between what makes him a dog and what makes him a snake," Brom explained. "So, we have different explanations and I feel only time will tell which is true. Tell your godson there is nothing to worry about," Brom finished with a smile.

"Thanks, to be honest, I was worried. With Voldemort's symbol being a snake and nobody sure what happened the night he attacked," Sirius trailed off, pausing to take a breath. "Well, I think he was worried about some cruel influence from that dark wizard."

"Well, Sirius, if that's the case, it wouldn't be impossible for there to be some connection between the two. Life and death situations have a cruel way of connecting people. Now, I wouldn't bring it up if I didn't think it's possible, but that could also be a reason for the snake transformation. But still, Harry should be fine all the same."

"Thanks for being honest and up front, Brom," Sirius smiled.

"I do hope he is a PolyAnimagi, though. The idea of finding another one and trained by the man I trained. Oh, the pride as a teacher would grow," he smiled. Sirius braced himself as Brom had a habit of talking about the magic of an Animagi. The hours began to tick away as Brom continued to talk.

"And low and behold, not even a week later, I got all sorts of letter claiming to be Animagi with the form of a dragon," Brom chuckled. "Bold claims, but it would take a person beyond the average wizard to turn into that," he explained.

"Well, you never know. Magical creatures are not impossible. We have had people who can cast them in a Patronus and they often reflect your Animagus form."

"True," Brom admitted, reaching into his desk and pulling out a wooden pipe. "It would be interesting to see how that would affect a man's life span if he were a phoenix. Ah, what a curious idea," he smiled, pulling on his pipe. Suddenly, the grandfather clock chimed. The two men glanced over at the brick wall to see the clock hands pointing at nine.

"Look at the time. We have been talking for a while," Sirius said in realization. Well, mostly Brom talked while Sirius listening, only giving his input on occasion.

"Too bad, I really was enjoying the company. You know, it has been a while since I visited Dumbledore," he smiled fondly. "Has he been busy?"

"Not that I know of, but he will be soon. If my memory serves correct, we should be having the Triwizard Tournament and I do believe its Hogwarts turn to host," Sirius explained.

"Really?" Brom said, clearly interested in the contest. "Well then, if there is nothing else, Padfoot, I would imagine you would like to head home," he replied, emptying his pipe. Sirius nodded, shaking his hand.

Sirius exited the office, swearing to himself that the man was chuckling. He shrugged it off, leaving the school the same way he entered. On his way down, he glanced up at the night sky and took in the stars and moon before him. He missed the nights like these; it reminded him of the good old days where they would camp out with Lupin during the full moon. Sirius continued down and made his way back to the small town. He breathed in the crisp air and approached the hippogriff. He gave a low bow and saw it returned as he glanced around the area.

He shifted into a dog, turning three times before curling up next to the feathered creature. Sirius breathed in the night air. Normally, the ground would be too hard, the wind too cool or even the animals around him too loud. But tonight was one of the best in recent memory. He was a free man. He closed his eyes, think of Dumbledore and Harry. If he was going to win Dumbledore over, he was going to need to bring his A game. Which meant he needed Harry to talk to Dumbledore with him. He had no doubt he could get Harry to stay with him, even if Dumbledore fought against him. However, making an enemy of the great Albus Dumbledore was not something even the stupidest convict would do. So, he curled up and pushed the thoughts to the back of his mind as he slowly drifted off to sleep.

* * *

><p><strong>Well, I hope you guys like our newest OC, Brom. In my mind, he's a quirky character and I hope SWD sees him as such as well. Brom won't have too much of an appearance for the rest of PoA, but he will definitely show up for GoF. R&amp;R as always and the next chapter will be up next week!<strong>

**~LE  
><strong>


	17. Year's End Celebration

******Disclaimer: I do not own anything of this story. Harry Potter and all of the notable characters belong to J.K. Rowling.******

* * *

><p><span>Magnolia Crescent<span>

Chapter Seventeen

Year's End Celebration

Harry was sitting in the Great Hall, digging into the end of the year feast. He glanced up to the Slytherin colors, scowling. The Hall was a little quiet overall, but after two wins from Gryffindor, the other two houses weren't complaining too much. He sighed as he looked at the _Daily Prophet_, seeing Sirius and the Minister shaking hands on the cover. Sirius had sent him a letter that morning, along with a new owl for Ron.

_ Dear Harry,_

_ I recently talked with Professor Dumbledore and we are going to have a chat in his office before your journey on the train. I talked with him already, but neither one of us are satisfied. However, I have convinced him, like the hat, to take your desires into account. Also, tell Ron I am sorry about his pet, even if it wasn't entirely my fault. He is more than welcome to keep the owl._

_ Your godfather,_

_ Sirius_

_ P.S. The owl got into some sugar. Keep him away from it._

"Bloody bird," Ron frowned, trying to keep the owl from the sugar cubes on the table. Harry smirked, watching the bird fly circles around Ron's head. The owl, recently named Pigwidgeon or Pig for short, finally got tired and flew over to the Slytherin table and began to hassle Malfoy. "I spoke too soon," Ron smirked. The Gryffindors around him chuckled as well.

The end of the year feast was just clearing out when Professor McGonagall approached the three. She frowned as she ducked under Ron's low flying owl. "What in the world?" she asked as the owl flew back to the table and pecked at sugar cubes.

"My new pet," Ron admitted with a weak grin on his face. McGonagall suppressed a smirk as the creature returned, landing on Ron's shoulder.

"I see," she said, turning her attention to Harry. "If you don't mind, I would like to talk to you alone, Mr. Potter," she stated. Harry glanced at his two friends, they simply smiled. Hermione gave a curt nod to the Professor before she and Ron walked off, Pig flying circles around them before crashing into a suit of armor.

"Ouch," Harry winced.

"For a moment I had hoped Weasley had found an owl that wasn't going to crash into anything. Poor boy has bad luck when it comes to pets," she sighed. Harry silently agreed as he followed her out of the Great Hall. The two took the familiar path to Dumbledore's office before she abruptly stopped.

"I would like to talk to you before we go see the Headmaster," she said, answering Harry's unspoken question. Harry glanced up at her with a bit of confusion. She raised her wand, causing the sound around them to become muffled. Harry couldn't hear so much as a footstep from another student.

"Is there something wrong, Professor?" Harry asked, genuinely concerned but from the twist of his lips, it wasn't for himself.

"Something's been brought to my attention as of late," she admitted. "And as much as I would like to keep names a secret, it's not possible if I want to bring any of this up. Miss Granger has brought it to my attention about your recent family situation. I have waited, hoping you would talk to me yourself about it. While I admire your desire to handle your own problems, Mr. Potter, you would do well to remember that Dumbledore would have a hard time running this school alone." Harry frowned slightly; he was definitely going to have a talk with Hermione. "Don't blame her, but I am worried, what with the events of this year and previous. Potter, I don't want you to get the feeling that you have to do everything on your own. We are here to help you, all of the professors are. While I'll be the first to admit that if you had told me about Black, I would have been up in arms. I want you to know we're here for you when you need us," she explained. Harry nodded in agreement. She sighed, giving him a defeated smirk, not really believing what she had said had sunk in.

"I know that, but when I came to you before, you didn't believe me. The teacher you sent last year to help Ginny, well, he was a coward. If I had said anything this year, an innocent man would have been back in Azkaban. I just don't see how anyone can help me sometimes. McGonagall frowned but it wasn't a harsh one.

"I understand, Potter. I can't say that I would be too much help myself. But whatever happens up there, will you at least hear some advice?" she asked. Harry nodded almost immediately. "Now, Dumbledore and I don't see eye to eye on a lot of things. Where you are staying is one of them. However, Dumbledore has his reason for everything – no matter how uncomfortable they are for other people." Harry kept silent. "Now then, I knew Black and he may be innocent, but Azkaban does leave its marks all the same. Whatever you decide, I wish you well," she finished. "Now come along, we don't want to keep the Headmaster waiting." Harry nodded, not sure if he believed what she had to say or not.

They paused at the statue protecting the staircase as it slowly moved aside to reveal the stairs. Harry took a few steps before glancing back, realizing that he wasn't being followed. He sighed as he continued up.

"Dumbledore, why can't you see reason? My father put every protection known to man on that house. Harry would be perfectly safe," Sirius explained. Harry moved up the stairs, almost feeling his godfather's frustration.

"Why would Dumbledore be so against me moving out of my aunt and uncle's home?" Harry wondered to himself as he pushed open the door. Dumbledore raised his hand, stopping Sirius as they took noticed of Harry's arrival.

"Hello, Harry," Dumbledore greeted neutrally. Harry nodded causally as he walked up to the desk. Sirius was leaning against the wall, his face just as neutral.

"Hello, Professor," Harry smiled. He could almost feel the tension in the air between the two men. "I take it this time we will be talking about my living conditions?" Harry asked calmly but he couldn't help but feel uneasy about the situation.

"Yes, and while I am against it, I will admit that Sirius has a few good points. Mainly for the fact that your aunt and uncle have not been taking care of you per the standard of children," Dumbledore admitted.

"What gave it away: the running away or the fact that he was sleeping under the stairs?" Sirius muttered to himself.

"While unfair, I have had my reasons. Harry, your mother created a very powerful magic when she sacrificed herself. One that, when you were taken in by your aunt, gave you a magical protection unlike any other. And so long as you call it home, Voldemort will not be able to touch you," the Headmaster explained.

"Okay, then that explains why you wanted to keep me safe," Harry said, nodding. He kind of got it, even if he didn't care for all of the trouble it caused him.

"However, your parents named me godfather in their will, and I was supposed to be your caregiver," Sirius added, glancing at Dumbledore. "Convenient," he thought to himself. "And with my slate wiped clean, and Peter's Merlin award revoked, I am now able to take over those duties," he explained with a small smile.

"Yes, but that would make you vulnerable to attack," Dumbledore countered, keeping his gaze on Sirius. Harry nodded.

"Wouldn't you be able to put up other spells and wards? I would rather not live under their roof if I can help it," Harry said with a frown. Dumbledore sighed, realizing that Harry wanted out.

"It's not like my own family hasn't put protections spells on it already. My father was a very paranoid man – even if he supported less than ideal people," Sirius replied. "And if you wanted to, you could put the Fidelius Charm on it," he added. Dumbledore's frown deepened. Sirius was just adding more and more reasons to his side.

"Fidelius Charm?" Harry asked.

"It's what your parents used to keep hidden and the reason that Peter is responsible for your parent's death. It's a spell that creates a place known only to the secret keeper. Anyone else can't see it, even if they know it is there. However, when one tells, that place becomes open to that person, essentially making them a secret keeper as well." Sirius swallowed a lump before he continued. "I was originally the secret keeper. However, they knew I was your father's best friend and I was constantly under fire. I had a moment of weakness and begged your father to give it to someone else. I admit, I had my suspicions of Lupin, a good friend who didn't deserve them. So, I figured Peter would be the best bet. Nobody would ever suspect Peter, or so I thought. We didn't tell anyone and when Peter spilled the beans, I figured it out first and well, you know the rest."

"Well, if Dumbledore is the keeper, we should have no problems," Harry said, flashing a smile up at the aging wizard. Dumbledore sighed; he really didn't have much of an argument anymore, and with Harry's smile, it was too much.

"Fine," Dumbledore relented, his shoulders sagging a bit in defeat. "I really can't argue against the both of you and it is a sound defense. Fine, head back home and get your things together," Dumbledore replied.

"I will be waiting for you back at your old home," Sirius said. "So you can spend some time with your friends on the train ride home." Harry smiled, glancing back at Dumbledore and Sirius.

"See you then," Harry smiled as he ran out of the room. Sirius glanced over at Dumbledore.

"This is going to get complicated," Dumbledore frowned, closing his eyes. Sirius glanced again before taking a deep breath and walking out of the office.

"Well, if you weren't so secretive, things would be a little easier for you. Harry may be young and at times acts his age, but after the events of the past three years, Harry has more Dark Arts experience than most adult wizards," Sirius muttered to himself, disappearing down the stairs.

Harry walked onto the platform, glancing back as Ron appeared behind him. Harry smiled as he spotted Mrs. Weasley. Ginny appeared behind them as Mrs. Weasley rushed over, grabbing her two kids in a group hug.

"Hello, Mrs. Weasley," Harry smiled and she returned it.

"Hello, Harry. So good to see you as well," she greeted with a good natured smile on her face.

"Hello, Molly," Sirius greeted. The poor woman about jumped out of her skin.

"Sirius?" she realized, turned to face him. He waved at her as she fought the urge to go for her wand. "It's good to see you. I have to admit I was happily surprised when we found out it was really Peter," she admitted after regaining her composure. Harry breathed a sigh of relief as he realized someone was hiding behind him again. He glanced back to see Ginny watching Sirius from behind him.

"Um, Ginny, are you okay?" Harry asked. She froze as she glanced up at him.

"Um, yeah?" she replied, quickly looking down but she didn't move. Harry frowned a bit.

"Relax, he's my father's best friend and my godfather. Nothing to worry about," Harry smiled back at her. She nodded as she slowly walked back into plain sight.

"Another one, Molly? I am shocked," Sirius said in mock surprise. Ginny tried to inch behind Harry again as attention was drawn to her. Molly wasn't able to find her tongue either.

"So, that's where she gets it," Ron realized as both women glanced over at him with a hard look. Sirius chuckled at the whole thing while Harry glanced between everyone. Mrs. Weasley kept fidgeting while Sirius didn't seem bothered at all. Harry noticed Uncle Vernon shifting impatiently in the train station.

"Um, Sirius, I think we should get going," Harry interrupted as he pointed out his uncle. Sirius frowned while he glanced over at the man.

"Impatient Muggle," Sirius said with a frown, glancing back at Molly. "Good to see you again, um, Molly. I don't know much about all this new parenting stuff but if it's no trouble, could I bring Harry over from time to time? Not unannounced, of course, but in case something happens and I can't bring him along?"

"Of course, Harry is always welcome," she replied very quickly. "I am sure Ron would love the company." She smiled kindly before Sirius and Harry walked away to see Uncle Vernon.

"Sorry about that," Sirius smiled to the pudgy man. His face contorted into what could be called a grin but said nothing as they got into the car and drove to Privet Dr. for the last time.

Dudley and Aunt Petunia were white as a sheet when Sirius entered the house. They recognized him instantly. Sirius pulled out some papers and handed them to Vernon. Harry rushed upstairs to pack up his things.

"Harry," Sirius called, causing his godson to stop dead. He tossed up a small bag, which Harry caught it. "Use that for packing," he ordered as Harry glanced over the change bag sized item.

"What in the bloody hell good will that do him?" Vernon asked, frowning at Sirius and clearly wanting to say more.

"Magic," Sirius said, winking. "Now then, sign here and here and Harry will be out of your hair for good. Vernon couldn't move through the papers fast enough.

Harry went through all his drawers, pulling out his clothes as fast as he could before look back at the bag. He pulled it open and tossed in one of his knight figures. He smiled as it vanished into the bag. He realized that the bag was limitless. He tossed in his clothes and began pouring everything in, with a few exceptions, and raced down the stairs to see Sirius waiting for him at the door.

"Got everything?" Sirius asked, smiling at Harry. He nodded as he held up the bag. The Dursleys seemed confused but nobody questioned it. "Well then, it's nice to see everything went so smoothly. Petunia, I have to admit you look rather nice. You know, your sister loved talking about you and your family. I never imagined you to be so stiff," Sirius frowned, glancing at the thin woman.

"Whatever, you got what you came for. Now be off with you," Vernon frowned, clearly wanting to be rid of Harry as much as Harry wanted to be gone.

"She talked about me?" Petunia asked, looking over at Sirius. He calmly nodded.

"Very fond of you. She was really lonely the first couple of years and from what I remember, she missed you and the family. A lot of respect for you, I can see, however, that it was not returned," Sirius said, frowning while he glanced over the staircase. She had the decency to look ashamed at that one. "Shall we be off, Harry?" Sirius asked. Harry nodded as Sirius opened the door. He glanced back at his aunt and uncle, feeling a little sad. It was almost as if something was happening that wasn't really supposed to.

"For what it's worth, I am going to miss you," Harry smiled, waving at them. They seemed surprised to hear this as Sirius's motorcycle pulled up in front of them. They proceeded to shut the door as Sirius climbed on, handing Harry a helmet. He strapped himself in, holding onto Hedwig's cage.

Sirius pressed a button, causing the bike to shoot up into the sky. They flew through the sky, the air tasting like sweat against their lips as they entered London. As they landed, Harry watched a house pop into existence between two others.

"Welcome to your new home," Sirius smiled, glancing over at his godson.

"And it couldn't look any better," Harry replied with a smile as he looked over Number 12 Grimmauld Place.

End of Book Three

* * *

><p><strong>Yes, PoA is complete in our fic. I hope you guys enjoyed reading Harry's adventures during his third year. SWD and I are going to take a temporary hiatus before we come back for the summer chapter(s). We hope you guys will stick around for Year Four, it's going to be a fun ride! By the way, Year Four will take place right here under the title <em>Magnolia Crescent<em>. We came to a consensus, with the help of your reviews (which we love reading 3), and decided to keep them all under one title. That way, you don't have to search for the next year!  
><strong>

**~LE**


	18. Housewarming

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything of this story. Harry Potter and all of the notable characters belong to J.K. Rowling.**

* * *

><p><span>Magnolia Crescent<span>

Chapter Eighteen

Housewarming

Harry had to stifle a chuckle as he looked over the kitchen; Sirius had sent everything into a cleaning frenzy. When they first arrived, the entire house was covered with more than a decade's worth of dust; some places had even more than that.

The house elf, Kreacher, walked into the basement kitchen as Harry glanced over at him. He was wrinkled and old with sparse white hairs sprouting from his ears and a very harsh and croaking voice.

"Does the young Master need anything?" Kreacher asked, glaring up at Harry.

"No thanks, Kreacher. Thanks for asking," Harry replied as the house elf went back to his business. Harry frowned, not sure what his thoughts were on the elf. He seemed to hold a great resentment towards Sirius, and even Harry at first. Harry, however, did his best to be polite to Kreacher and the elf didn't hate him as much.

"I need dusting!" a painting shouted. Harry winced, glancing over at Kreacher. The elf nodded as he walked out of the room.

"Shut up!" Sirius shouted as Harry walked into the hall. Sirius was still trying to pry his mother's painting off the wall.

"Be gone, you traitor!" she shouted. Harry winced, watching his godfather attempt another pry.

"Sirius, that's the third time today you've tried. It's not coming off," Harry grimaced.

"I am having guest and I can't have her disturbing them," he frowned. "She's never been very fond of the friends I keep," Sirius explained, losing his grip and dropping to the ground. Kreacher seemed to chuckle under his breath before Sirius shot him a dark glare.

"Go clean up the living rom. I want it spotless," Sirius ordered, glaring at the house elf.

"But, of course, Kreacher is happy to serve the House of Black," Kreacher replied, bowing as he took his leave. Harry watched the wrinkled figure vanish down the stairs.

"You really shouldn't be so hard on him," Harry said with a frown, looking at his godfather. He eyed the painting for a moment. "Couldn't you use a Silencing Charm?" he suggested, glancing back at Sirius. His godfather paused for a second, realizing that it would be a lot less work.

"Of course," Sirius admitted, quickly flicking his wand and muttering an incantation. Now, no matter how much the painting tried, Mrs. Black could not be heard. Sirius breathed a sigh of relief, rushing down the stairs. Harry noticed a broom sweeping up the stairs. The windows opened and the curtains fluttered, allowing a warm summer breeze to enter the stale house.

"So, who is coming over?" Harry asked, entering the kitchen. All the dishes were on the table; a washrag was cleaning every surface and whatever found its way into the sink. Harry didn't know whether to frown or smile; he was so used to cleaning things by hand. He didn't enjoy cleaning, but it just felt odd to see so much work being done and yet be doing so little. He ducked as a glass floated overhead to find its way onto the table with everything else.

"Remus," Sirius replied. "He has some spells that will be able to help restore the house – since Kreacher decided to shirk his responsibilities," Sirius growled, spotting the house elf in the living room. "That and I need to get new furniture. You wouldn't believe how lumpy and stiff everything is. Not to mention, I need to get rid of these damn painting," he muttered to himself.

"You really don't like the place?" Harry inquired. Sirius turned to reply but they heard a knock at the door. Harry frowned a bit while Sirius quickly left to answer the front door.

"Hello. Oh, Molly, Arthur!" Sirius smiled. "What a pleasant surprise!" He stepped to the side, allowing them to walk in. "It's so good to see you," he smiled, shaking Arthur's hand.

"Hey, Ron," Harry waved as Ron and Ginny appeared behind their parents. Sirius glanced behind him as the broom levitated down the stairs and a garbage bag flew overhead.

"Sorry, the house was in need of some deep cleaning," Sirius apologized. "Please, come on in. Harry, why don't you show Ron around the house?" Sirius offered, leading Arthur and Molly to the living room.

Harry went upstairs as he and Ron noticed vaguely that Ginny was tagging along. Harry shrugged, not to bothered by the addition as he made his way to the landing. He opened the door to his room as Ron glanced around.

"This was Sirius's old room, but he let me have it," Harry said. Ron noticed the colors of Gryffindor and all of the Muggle pictures.

"So, did he put up the pictures?" Ginny asked, taking note of the Muggle pictures of women on walls. Harry blushed a deep red.

"Yeah, he said he would try to get them off if I wanted but he had cast some sort of sticking charm. It's going to take time," he replied. Ron smiled, nudging his friend.

"You're still going to keep them up, aren't you?" he smirked, nudging him again. Harry blushed as the redhead smirked.

"Ron," Ginny frowned, glaring at her brother. Ron simply ignored her. Harry opened his mouth to say something but he heard another knock at the door. Thinking it was Remus, Harry dashed to the door, only to see Hermione there. He glanced at Sirius, who shrugged.

"Hey, Harry," she smiled, each waving at the other.

"Hermione," Ron said with surprise, walking down the stairs. "What are you doing here?"

"My parents dropped me off. I wanted to make sure Harry was adjusting well to his new surroundings," she admitted. Harry scratched the back of his head, a little embarrassed but happy to see her all the same.

"Um, Harry," Ginny interrupted. He glanced over at the redhead. "Where is the bathroom?" she asked quietly.

"Up the stairs on the right hand side," he informed as she headed back up the stairs. "Be careful! We haven't cleaned it yet!" Harry called after her.

"What, do you think the dust will bite her?" Ron joked, smirking a bite.

"We ran into an imp in the attic the other day. Sirius told me to keep an eye out for anything. The house has been more or less empty for a decade, so who knows what has gotten in. That's part of the reason why we're expecting Remus," Harry explained. "Come on up, I'll show you around." Harry smiled as he went up the stairs. They were just about to enter Harry's room when Ginny screamed.

Sirius leapt up from his chair at the sound but Molly was already halfway up the stairs. Harry jiggled the handle, realizing that it was locked. "_Alohamora_!" he shouted as Molly almost knocked him out of the way. Everyone froze when the door opened as they saw a teen standing inside with Ginny.

"Tom?" Harry frowned while Molly glanced at him with a look of confusion. The black-haired Slytherin turned as Harry realized what it was. It began to grow a cloak as Harry raised his wand.

"_Riddikulus_!" Harry cast as the dementor shifted into a bouncing black ball. With a flick of Molly's wand, the creature was sent back into the open towel drawer which slammed shut.

"Ginny, my baby! Are you alright?" Molly cried, quickly grabbing ahold of her daughter.

"Somebody been bullying you, sis?" Ron asked angrily, balling his fist. Sirius and Arthur glanced at Harry.

"Someone you know?" Arthur asked.

"You know him too," Harry frowned, glaring at the drawer. "Ginny, it's okay. The diary is gone," Harry said calmly, kneeling next to the girl. She nodded and Harry noticed that she was beginning to calm down. Molly blinked, remembering the diary from the previous year.

"That was…" she realized, glancing at Harry. He nodded.

"We should get her downstairs," Sirius interjected. Arthur picked his daughter up and carried her to the living room. Harry glared at the drawer. "We'll deal with it later," Sirius replied, leading the group to the living room.

Everyone took a seat in silence. Ginny grabbed ahold of Harry's hand in an effort to keep herself calm.

"So, I take it that was Tom Riddle?" Ron spoke up. Ginny nodded but didn't say anything.

"His memory, anyway. We'll make sure the next time you come over, we won't have any magical creatures besides Buckbeak," Sirius admitted. He backtracked when Arthur gave him a confused glance. "I mean Witherwings. You know, Harry, it might be a good idea to check on him," Sirius mentioned. Harry tried to get up but Ginny had a death grip on his hand. Harry glanced at his godfather with a pleading look. Sirius inclined his head a bit.

"Would you care to join me?" he asked. Ginny nodded and Harry led her up to Mrs. Black's old room. They had reached the landing when they heard a knock at the door for the third time. Ginny was about to walk through the door Harry had just opened when he stopped her.

"Something wrong?" she asked.

"You need to be careful when approaching a hippogriff. You remember Malfoy going on about his arm?" Harry asked. Ginny nodded in realization. Harry was walking her through the correct motions when he heard Remus walking down the hall.

"Hello, Lupin," Harry greeted. Remus noticed Ginny calmly petting the creature.

"Hello, Harry, Ginny," he replied. Ginny nodded in return, having calmed down from her earlier scare. The hippogriff shifted as Remus bowed low. "I heard about your little scare so I have something for you," he said, smiling as he handed her a piece of chocolate.

"Thanks," she smiled, accepting the chocolate.

"Do you always have chocolate on you?" Harry asked, glancing at the old professor.

"You never know when a dementor might appear," Remus winked, patting Harry on the shoulder. "Well, then, Molly is making dinner for us. It will be ready in a couple of minutes," Remus reminded as Ron and Hermione entered the room as well.

"So, that's what the darkest wizard of our time looked like. Who knew he looked just like every other student," Ron commented as Remus exited.

"I'm going to help Mum finish making dinner," Ginny said. Harry nodded as she left the room as well.

"So, how's Buckbeak doing?" Ron asked, petting the hippogriff's neck after he had taken a bow.

"He's adjusted quite well. Although, I don't think he likes being trapped up here all the time," Harry replied.

"And what about you?" Hermione asked. "How have you adjusted?"

"I love it. The only weird thing is there being so much magic. There really isn't a need to do any physical cleaning. Sirius just charms everything to clean itself. It's a bit hard to get used to. Other than that, I'm doing fine," Harry said, shrugging his shoulders. Hermione nodded but seemed to want to press for more information. Thankfully for Harry, she didn't pry for anything more. The three spent a few minutes petting Buckbeak and tossing ferrets around the room for him to find.

"I hope Ginny isn't too shaken up," Hermione said as Harry shut the door behind them. "But if that memory is anything to go by, she isn't over the experience. At least not completely," she added. Ron frowned but refused to comment.

"Well, we can go check on her," Harry suggested, heading towards the kitchen. Ron groaned; he just wanted to sit down and relax. "Come on, Ron," Harry encouraged. The three soon found themselves in the kitchen where Molly was cooking.

"Ginny, dear, make sure to keep an eye on that pot. The last thing we need is another mess," she sighed, moving to another part of the kitchen.

"What's one more spill?" Ron asked out loud, noticing a lot of flour. Molly gave him a quick glare before messing with the dough again.

"So, what are you cooking?" Harry asked.

"Mum's making pot pies as well as some dessert but that is a surprise," Ginny winked.

"Out of here, the lot of you," Molly scolded, waving them off with a smile.

"Good to see you're feeling better, Ginny," Hermione said with a smile.

"Same here, Ginny," Harry added. Ginny smiled fondly as Molly reprimanded her for not watching the pot.

"Thanks," she whispered as she went back to her job.

Everyone had sat down at the dinner table while Molly, Ginny and Sirius helped get everything set down. Harry had offered to help.

"Sit down, Harry, dear. We've got everything ready," Molly smiled while Ginny set down an obviously bigger pie for him. Ron saw this and frowned, a little grumpy. Harry chuckled.

"Sirius, where are the forks?" Molly asked.

"Fourth drawer on the left," Sirius replied as he glanced over at Arthur, taking his own set. "No, thanks. The only reason I am taking the job is to spend time with Harry. The Black fortune has enough in it, I wouldn't have to work another day of my life. However that would be boring," Sirius replied. Molly frowned as his reasoning, but didn't call him out on it. "Not to mention recent events," Sirius muttered his breath, but nobody seemed to hear.

"I just hope that curse doesn't take him as well," Ron frowned, causing Hermione to elbow him. "Well, it's true. Quirrell, Lockhart, and now Lupin. Nobody has been able to hold onto that job," Ron shrugged.

"I wouldn't worry too much about it if I were Sirius. I just hope you do a good job," she countered.

"No doubts on that. Remus here has offered to help me out with all the responsibility that will require," Sirius replied. "Besides, I wouldn't mind going over all the Defense Against the Dark Arts spells myself. Been a bit out of practice," Sirius commented. The group nodded in agreement.

"So, who do you think will be going to the Quidditch Cup this time?" Remus asked, ready to start up a new conversation. Ron was quick to talk as the table became buried in old dishes and small talk.

It was late into the evening when the Weasley family got ready to go. Everyone was out in the living room, next to the fire place as Sirius handed out the Floo Powder.

"It was good to see you both," Arthur smiled, shaking hands with Sirius. Molly took Harry into a hug before grabbing his shoulders.

"You are always welcome at our home, Harry," she reminded. Harry nodded, giving her a warm smile. Ginny quickly wrapped him into a warm hug.

"Thanks for everything, Harry," she smiled, brushing her hair out of her eyes. Ron patted him on the back as his father vanished in green fire, Ginny following shortly thereafter.

"This is great, we can finally hang out more. Hopefully, nothing will interrupt our conversations this time," Ron chuckled, moving to the fireplace. With the Weasleys gone, all that was left were Hermione and Remus.

"Remus, if you don't mind, I have something I need your help with," Sirius mentioned. "You know, school work. No cheating, you two," he frowned, glancing at Hermione and Harry.

"Hermione, cheat?" Harry smirked. "No way, she takes too much pride in her work," Harry dismissed while Remus chuckled.

"Can't argue with that," Remus remarked, remembering how she was always on time with her work and one of his best students during his time as a professor.

The two teens didn't have much to say. Hermione talked about the upcoming classes and other school stuff. Harry listened but wasn't too focused on what she had to say.

"Do you think Sirius would mind if I played on the piano?" Hermione asked, breaking up their conversation on Herbology, a class Harry didn't find too particularly interesting.

"I don't see why not," Harry shrugged. Hermione walked over to the baby grand, lifting the cover on the keys. She began to play as Harry next to her, watching. She remained silent, playing a song he wasn't too familiar with. "Is there anything you can't do?" he asked jokingly when she had finished playing.

"Lots of things, Harry," she laughed. "After all, I am still in school. Harry, what do you think of Ginny?" she asked. Harry glanced over at her, a little confused.

"She's all right, a little shy, why?" he asked. Hermione frowned, as if fighting her desire to explain while at the same time keep quiet.

"I am worried about her, to be honest. With last year and the recent boggart, I am worried she may develop a…."

"A what?" Harry encouraged.

"A, I don't know, Harry, but I am worried about her. With everything that's been going on around her, I just think you should be careful around her," Hermione explained. Harry let it drop as he mused into what she meant. "Not trying to be mean, but you have become a bit of a pillar in her more devastating moments. I just don't want her to rely on it," Hermione sighed, deeply concerned. Harry kept quiet, not sure how to deal with anything. Even if it was some random girl, he was sure he would have gone down there just as quickly.

"I think I understand. I will be careful," Harry replied, not really sure what he could do. Hermione nodded when a knock at the door interrupted them.

"That would be my parents," Hermione said. Harry nodded, saying goodbye to his final friend.

The door closed on his final guest and Harry turned to see his godfather. "My godson, the bachelor, you dog," Sirius smiled, walking down the stairs. He was clearly hiding something behind his back.

"What do you mean?" asked Harry. Sirius shrugged, stopping at the foot of the stairs.

"Nothing. I do have something for you, think of it as a housewarming gift," Sirius replied, having found the word he was searching for. Harry smirked at the idea but refused to get his hopes up. Sirius tossed him a broom shaped gift. "I saw what happened to your old broom, so I hope you enjoy this one. Speaking of, I got tickets to a local game if you're interested."

"A Firebolt?" Harry said, stunned. He remembered Ron talking about them at dinner. "I couldn't," Harry stuttered, trying to hand it back. Sirius placed his hands behind his back.

"You need one for school. After all, the best seeker in the world should have the best broom," Sirius smiled confidently. Harry inspected it before hugging his godfather.

"Thanks for everything," Harry said as Sirius returned the hug.

* * *

><p><strong>So, yay! We're back from hiatus! The only thing is that I can guarantee that a chapter will be posted every week as I am not always by the internets. However, rest assured that new chapters will be posted, regardless. You just might have to wait for a while. But for now, enjoy!<strong>

**~LE**

**EDIT: As per a few reviews, SWD and I agreed that Remus Lupin should be addressed by his first name. The only exception to the rule would be when a Hogwarts student is talking to him or about him. In that case, he will still be referred to as Lupin. Hope that clarifies and apologies for the confusion.  
><strong>

**~LE  
><strong>


	19. Puddlemere United

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything of this story. Harry Potter and all of the notable characters belong to J.K. Rowling.**

* * *

><p><span>Magnolia Crescent<span>

Chapter Nineteen

Puddlemere United

Harry got up the next morning, glancing over the red and gold that decorated his new room. Despite it being Sirius's old room, it still felt much more like him than his old one. He found Sirius in the kitchen going over some papers, empty breakfast dishes beside him.

"Morning, Harry. Remus will be over soon, would you mind helping me go over some spells that I need to teach? In fact, if you want to help me out with the teaching aspect, that would be appreciated," Sirius said. Harry nodded. "Thanks, now in the meantime, let's get back to work. We need to get rid of that boggart; we don't want our guest getting scared again," Sirius mentioned, getting up from the table. Harry silently agreed with him, following Sirius up the stairs. "Wait, you haven't had anything to eat," Sirius realized, turning back to the kitchen.

"No, I'm fine," Harry replied. Sirius waved him off, entering the kitchen.

"Nonsense, with as skinny as you are, I am half-tempted to add a fourth meal just to get you to a decent weight," Sirius retorted, cracking an egg.

"I'm not that skinny. I just wore big clothes," Harry commented but Sirius wouldn't have any of it. Harry felt uncomfortable with someone making him breakfast but recognized there was no use complaining about it.

The two were just finishing up with the beast in the closet when there was a knock at the door. "That would be Remus," Sirius mentioned, moving down the stairs while Harry trailed behind him.

"Will he be joining us?" he asked, looking at his godfather. Sirius glanced back at him, furrowing his brow. "To the game?" Harry added.

"Oh, right," he said, snapping his fingers. "Well, I only have two tickets, so I guess not." He frowned, realizing his screw up. He opened the door, allowing Remus to step inside.

"Seems like only yesterday," Remus sighed. Both Sirius and Harry gave him deadpan expressions. "They never liked that joke then either," he sighed, walking in.

"Now then, shall we get down to business? I have an appointment to make," Remus said. Sirius glanced over at his old friend.

"Why, got a hot date?" Sirius asked while Remus pulled out some papers and a rather large book from his suitcase.

"No, a job interview actually," Remus replied, handing the papers to Sirius. He quickly glanced over everything, seeming to only read bits and pieces.

"So, I'll be talking about these creatures for what year?" Sirius asked. Remus frowned, glancing over his shoulder for a second.

"Second year. Why they let you become a teacher, I'll never know," Remus groaned. Sirius and Harry glanced at each other for a second, wondering if they should tell him an Auror was the original choice until Sirius asked for the job.

"Now then, you will need to know all of this," Remus continued, pulling out even more books. "Luckily, Dumbledore asked me to help you prepare. Now then, these are for years four and seven. Since Harry will be in his fourth year, I believe we should work from that book," Remus explained, handing Sirius another book.

Sirius fumbled with the first one before placing it on the table and opening it up. You've got red pen all over the place."

"Sirius," Remus sighed. "They are notes. I figured you wouldn't bother reading everything so I abridged it all for you." Harry grimaced.

"I'll have you know I can buckle down. I'll have everything read in a week," Sirius replied. Remus paused for a second.

"Really?" Remus questioned, clearly not believing the man.

"Probably not," Sirius admitted, quickly scanning the work. "Let's see here. What would be a useful spell, I know, _Accio_," Sirius suggested. "Now then, Harry."

"I already know that spell," Harry replied. "_Accio Firebolt_." The broom sailed down the stairs, allowing Harry to catch it.

"Right," Sirius frowned, starting to flip through the book again. "How about the Bubble-Head Charm?" he asked, glancing over at Harry. He shook his head and Sirius nodded. "Let's move to the living room. Luckily, this is a spell, I know," he smiled.

The three walked into the living room as Sirius faced Harry. "Now then, the incantation for this spell is _Aeris Orbis_. When the spell is done correctly, it will create a mask of air around the user's face, allowing them to breathe underwater. However, standard limits to how deep you can go still apply." Harry chuckled. "The only wand movement is a gentle tap of the chin. Make sure it is on the chin; a bubble mask is going to do little good if it is attached to your hair," Sirius explained, demonstrating as well. "_Aeris Orbis_," Sirius cast and a bubble substance appeared over the lower part of his face.

Harry nodded as he took out his wand. He was about to cast it when Remus interrupted. "He needs to practice the incantation first. If you let your students randomly cast spells, someone might take their head off," Remus offered as Harry put his wand down.

"Fine," Sirius replied as he released the spell. "Repeat after me," Sirius started again. Harry repeated the words a few times as Sirius got comfortable with his role as a teacher. It took about an hour but Harry was able to cast the spell, mainly because Remus would keep correcting Sirius more than Sirius corrected Harry.

"Moony, he knows the spell now," Sirius finally said as Remus explained things he could have done better. Harry rolled his eyes as the two men argued.

"I probably could have learned the spell in fifteen minutes if they didn't stop every few seconds to go over teaching directions," Harry thought to himself. "Not to interrupt, but Lupin, didn't you say you had something to do?" asked Harry, not wanting to listen to them bicker.

"Damn it," Remus swore before realizing that he had sworn in front of Harry. "Sorry, look I got to go. Nice to see you, Harry," Remus replied, quickly leaving the house.

"Everyone is always on the run," Harry said out loud as Sirius chuckled.

"Probably seeing some girl. I can't really see anything else worth running out on your friends for," Sirius commented as Harry glanced over at his godfather.

"He never mentioned anything like that, and I kind of took up a lot of his free time during school," Harry replied, not sure how the old professor could manage all his paperwork, Harry and a woman all at the same time.

"You would be surprised what a man can do if he really wants to," Sirius said, walking out of the room. Harry blinked, wondering if his godfather knew Occlumency. "Now then, to the Quidditch game. Man, I haven't been to a game, well, a game in the stands, at least," Sirius corrected, tossing Harry his Firebolt.

Harry caught it with no problem as Sirius pulled out his own broom. "So, who are we going to see? I haven't actually been to a game, I usually play in them," Harry said. Normally, he had some bad luck playing each game through all the way. Something usually got in the way.

"Puddlemere United against Tutshill Tornados," Sirius replied, pulling out his wand. The house dimmed around them. As they exited the house, Harry noted a nagging feeling in the back of his mind, telling him he was forgetting something important.

"Don't you think you should be preparing for the school year? I mean, it would seem a bit more important than a Quidditch game," Harry replied. Sirius frowned, glancing at Harry for a long moment.

"You are starting to remind me of Lily," he replied. "All the same." He pressed, quickly casting a Disillusionment spell. Harry felt as if an egg was cracked over his head with a cold chill spreading throughout his body.

"Please, Harry. I've got to live a little bit. I've been locked up and had to sneak around forever. Let me enjoy my freedom while I can," Sirius replied. Harry felt a small stab at his heart.

"Fine, but afterwards, back to the books. The last thing we need is you getting kicked off the staff in the first week because you don't know the material," Harry said, genuinely concerned for his godfather.

"Look, one game, okay. It's like having a second Remus around. Maybe we should get you a girlfriend. How about Hermione, she seems nice," Sirius commented. Harry's face turned red.

"No, she's just a friend," Harry replied. "Besides, she's like my best friend. There is no way she would see me like that. I wouldn't chance a relationship when I only have like three friends," Harry hastily explained.

"Someone doth protest too much," Sirius chuckled. "All the same, Harry, I would recommend it, there are some school events coming up and a girlfriend will definitely help," Sirius replied. Harry looked him with confusion. "Just keep my advice in mind." Sirius kicked off the ground and Harry followed suit.

"So, where are we heading anyway?" Harry asked.

"We are heading north, to Yorkshire. It's a bit of a ride, but I have no doubts we will make it in time. Luckily, the Black family owns an estate, so we won't have to ride back until the morning," Sirius replied. Harry gulped at this revelation, silently thanking Oliver Wood.

When they finally arrived, Harry dropped into his seat and Sirius sat down next to him. Despite it being a season match, the stands were scattered at best. "I'm surprised nobody noticed me," Harry mentioned as Sirius handed him a glass of butterbeer.

"I guess nobody really expects to see you out and about. From what I gathered, you tend to stay out of the public eye," Sirius commented. Harry shrugged.

"Not like I had much of a choice in the matter," Harry replied bitterly as the players moved onto the field. Harry looked over the arena when he noticed a very familiar face sitting on the bench at the bottom of the opposite tower. "Hey, it's Wood. I remember he was part of the reserve team. Too bad we can't see him," Harry smirked.

"A friend of yours?" Sirius asked.

"He was Quidditch captain since I joined the team. Nice guy, but I've never met anyone more obsessed with the game. I feel sleepy just thinking of all the early morning training session he put the team through," Harry explained. Sirius nodded as the players formed a circle on the pitch. The referee flew out to the center, carrying a crate under his arm.

A whistle was blown, and the game began. Harry kept his eyes peeled as Sirius handed him a contraption to help see the game better. The match was pretty even; the Seekers were doing a good job keeping each other busy while the Chasers moved with the Quaffle.

Harry watched, automatically looking for the golden Snitch. He spotted the small gold dot flitting around one of the towers. Neither of the Seekers noticed but Harry observed that it was keeping to the side. A hand suddenly clapped onto his shoulder, nearly scaring him out of his seat.

"Merlin's beard!" he shouted, turning to see Oliver Wood smiling down at him.

"Hey, Harry," he greeted, smiling while they shook hands. He glanced over to see Sirius sitting next to him. "Hello, Mr. Black," he offered, voice neutral. Sirius nodded, deciding to leave the pair alone.

"Hey, shouldn't you be down on the field, Wood?" Harry asked, looking back at the game.

"Didn't you listen to any of my talks?" he asked, shrugging. Harry's face turned red and he scratched the back of his neck. "Really?" he sighed, keeping his eyes on Harry. "I'm a fourth stringer. You've got the ace players, second string and third string. Fourth string is replacement if all three strings are taken out. That's more or less what the reserve team is. I'm basically a glorified bench warmer," he sighed, trying to hide a disheartened face.

"Well, I don't see three teams worth of men on the bench," Harry replied, looking down at the field. Wood shrugged, giving off a thousand-yard stare.

"True, but I stick around in case they need me. It's silly, really, but I can't help but show up in some vain hope that I will be able to play," he responded. Harry gave him a sad smile and a hard punch.

"Not giving up on me, are you?" Harry said, smiling and raising an eyebrow. "You're not going to tell me all those days of training, all those early morning wake up calls, were just there for you to torment me?"

"Never!" Wood nearly shouted, giving Harry a soft glare.

"Good, 'cause I don't want to find out you gave up after all that. I did not lose a year's worth of sleeping in just for you to mope," Harry replied, a defiant note in his voice.

"I am not giving up. That's why I am here to begin with," Wood replied.

"Good, I want to come to a pro game and see you flying out there with the first string," Harry noted.

"If I had my way, Potter, you'd be out there with me," Wood grinned. Harry simply shook his head.

"Please, Wood, I'm not that good," he denied, waving his hands in front of him. Sirius looked over at him.

"That's not what I hear," Sirius argued. Wood smirked, giving his attention to the older man.

"You know what, after the game, I could ask if you can fly around. Shouldn't be too much trouble," Wood offered. Harry blinked at the pair but decided not to argue on his own skill.

"Well, Wood, if you could pull it off, I wouldn't mind putting my new broom through its paces," Harry agreed with a smile. Wood nodded, glancing down at the ground.

"Well, catch you later, Potter. I will see if I can get you some free time," Wood smiled, casually walking off. Harry smirked, returning his attention to the game.

"Friend of yours?" Sirius asked, watching the man leave.

"Yeah, didn't I already tell you that? he was captain of the Quidditch team. He graduated last year. I'm surprised he got onto a team so quickly," Harry admitted.

"I take it he is good then? Even getting on the reserve team is something for someone straight out of school," Sirius replied, looking at Harry.

"Not bad, but I don't think I'm a very good judge of skill. I haven't been to a game that I haven't played in," he confessed.

"He seems to hold you in high regard," Sirius commented, looking over at his godson. "I've only seen a few games but I still find myself agreeing with him." Sirius smiled.

"Well, I did start early," Harry agreed. "But I doubt I am good enough to play in the pro leagues."

"Really? Before Wood interrupted you, where was the Snitch?" Sirius asked. Harry didn't hesitate in his response.

"Over near that tower," he answered, pointing to the correct location. Sirius blinked in surprise. Harry seemed to think he would be surprised if he was telling the truth. He fell silent and started looking for it again. Sirius noticed this, along with the fact that Harry was very straight-forward in his thinking, much like other Seekers. It wouldn't surprise him if that was the reason his Animagus was a dog, where his father was more of a big-picture person and his mother was very detail oriented. It seemed to fit as Harry was a single-minded person, taking on one problem at a time. Sirius, being a similarly minded person, knew firsthand the problems with such a simple way of dealing with things; it got him landed in Azkaban.

The game went on and it wasn't long before both Sirius and Harry were shouting while both Seekers raced after the Snitch.

"Go!" Harry shouted, cheering on Seeker Blythe Parkin.

"And Parkin catches the Snitch!" the announcer shouted. Harry leaped up, hollering his support before suddenly dropping into the seat again, allowing his adrenalin and heart to slow down from his peak. He sighed, content as he relaxed into the chair.

"Thanks," Harry said. His godfather chuckled, sitting back and relaxing when Wood actually flew up next to them in the tower. Sirius pulled out a small bag, opening it to reveal both of their brooms.

"A Firebolt, impressive," Wood commented as Harry mounted. "I wish you had that last season."

"Been on a broom all day and yet, I still can't find myself complaining," Harry remarked while Wood pulled out a Quaffle and tossed it to him.

"Care to give me some practice?" he asked. Harry shrugged, seeing no reason not to as he caught the ball.

"Don't mind if I join in?" Sirius asked, mounting his own broom. Wood shook his head. Sirius raised his hands and Harry tossed the ball in his direction. He spun the ball on his finger and pulled out his wand. Wood flinched, going unnoticed to Sirius as he cast a spell. He let the ball drop casually to the ground before it sprang back up to his waiting hand. "Forgive an old man his age, but chasing a ball around after I score isn't a favorite past time of mine," he grinned, giving them a small shrug.

"Really?" Wood asked, a confident grin appearing on his face. "I'll have you know that I'm not going to go easy on you, old man," he countered, shooting off for the three goal posts. Sirius tossed the ball in the air, testing out his spell before looking over at Harry.

"Ready?" he asked. Harry nodded, replicating his godfather's grin. They raced off as Sirius tossed the ball. Harry moved to the lowest ring and tossed the ball, only for Wood to easily knock it away.

"Come on, Potter, you're going to have to try harder than that!" he taunted. Harry glared, deciding to take him up on the challenge. They fell back as the ball flew back to Sirius.

"I've seen that look before," Sirius said, smirking as he tossed the ball to Harry. Harry shot off in a blur, always tossing the ball but Wood smacked him down each time. Sirius hung back, watching his godson run the same course over and over again to no avail. Harry stretched his arm before racing off again. Wood was always a monster to score on; in fact, many people had to get physical just to beat him, often leading to suspensions for the other team. Harry raced around the pitch, deciding he needed to catch Wood off guard.

Harry prepared for another shot, leaping off his broom. Wood automatically moved to defend where he though Harry was going to shoot. Instead, the ball went for the opposite hoop as gravity took over. Wood literally grabbed his broom by the handle, swatting the ball away before flipping the broom back between his legs. Harry plummeted towards the ground as Sirius dove after him, catching him in time and summoning the Firebolt back.

"Why did I see you doing that?" Sirius asked rhetorically. Harry gave him a confident grin as he got back on his broom. Wood floated down to check on his old Seeker.

"Nice try, Potter. Didn't think you would pull a stunt like that," Wood admitted. Harry chucked, snagging the ball and tossing it at the goal, only for it to bounce off. "Well, you may be one helluva Seeker, but Potter, you would never be a good Chaser."

"I'll stick to the little gold ball, thank you," he replied, rubbing his sore arm, swearing that he threw it out of place. The Quaffle returned to Sirius and he spun it on his finger. Wood smirked, watching Sirius toss the ball straight into the goal post.

"Seems like you might know a thing or two," Wood acknowledged, flying back to the Keeper's spot. Harry glanced around, noticing that they had gathered a small crowd, including some of the players from Puddlemere United. Sirius juggled the ball as Wood gave him a thumbs-up. He raced off, a blur even with an older broom. When he managed to toss the ball, it went incredibly low, bouncing off the metal pole. Wood paused while the ball returned to Sirius. He took the opportunity and put it through the lowest hoop, effectively scoring on Wood.

"With age comes wisdom," he grinned. Wood gave him a dumbfounded look as Sirius moved back, the ball returning. Wood geared up, finally understanding what he had gotten himself into. Sirius raced in again, throwing the ball but Wood was keeping his guard up and kept knocking the ball away. Eventually, Sirius used Wood's own trick against him and hit the Quaffle like a baseball. Wood knocked the ball away with his head, only for Sirius to kick it back after he recovered from the hit. Wood spun around, hitting the ball with the tail of his broom. Sirius smirked, noticing that Wood was breathing heavier. Even if he didn't want to show it, Harry had worn him down and Sirius's constant onslaught was finally draining.

Sirius rolled the ball between his hands, remembering a move James has used once before. Moving back, he tossed the ball into the air. He shot forward, leaping off the broom and bringing both his hands together, he slammed the ball into the centermost circle.

Wood rushed to the spot, catching the ball as it almost knocked him off his broom. He seemed winded as he struggled to keep his balance while Sirius landed easily on his broom.

"Not bad," he admitted. Wood gave him a grin in-between small winces.

"Agreed," a feminine voice consented. Harry spun to see Blythe Parkin floating behind them, clapping. "I have to admit, I didn't think you would be this resilient, Wood," she admitted. Wood quickly sat up straight, forgetting his exhaustion.

"Thank you, ma'am," he responded, looking at her as if she were a military officer. Sirius glanced over, studying her as she closed in. She had jet black hair that stood in spikes and a pair of red goggles that kept her eyes a mystery. She was very eagle-like, as if she was always in the air. She nodded respectfully at Harry and he returned the gesture.

"I see Sirius Black isn't too stiff. I heard about you, not a bad Seeker," she said, looking at Harry.

"Only 'cause I wasn't a good team player so they told me to go chase the shiny," he grinned. She giggled a very feminine giggle, catching Harry off guard, expecting a more serious individual. "Hope we are not causing any problems," he commented.

"Other than keeping the janitorial staff here a little longer, nothing I'm going to yell at you about," she replied, shaking her head. "Wood, I didn't know you knew Harry Potter," she noted, glancing in his direction.

"Yeah, he was Seeker for my Hogwarts team. Youngest Seeker in a century," he declared. "Did an excellent job, if only he didn't get himself into trouble every year," he insisted, turning to eye Harry.

"Don't remind me; the stupid stone in first year," Harry said, frowning.

"And the snake in the second year," Wood added. "I'm glad he helped me win the Cup in my last year," he said sincerely.

"So, he's good then?" Parkin asked, looking to Harry.

"I wouldn't worry about it. Harry isn't sure what he is going to do but he is a damn good Seeker. I wouldn't mind having him on my team again," Wood admitted. Parkin nodded, not too bothered by his honesty.

"Well then, I may have to talk to the coach and see if we can get you some game time. It seems you have more skill than I thought," she remarked. "I'll go and see if we can't work something out."

"Mind if I join you?" Sirius asked, giving her a confident grin. She gave him a sly smirk, racing off as Sirius gave chase.

"Oh, boy," Harry sighed, resting his forehead in his hand.

"Well, he had been locked up for a while. I can't say I blame him," Wood grinned. Harry gave him a confused look, not quite catching on. "Want to fly around for a while? I could give you a tour of the pro team," he offered. Harry nodded, the two racing off. Harry was more than happy to tour the area.

* * *

><p><strong>Wood, Sirius and Harry all showing off. Boys will be boys, I suppose. Anyways, don't have much to say besides enjoy! R&amp;R<strong>

**~LE  
><strong>


	20. Diagon Alley

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything of this story. Harry Potter and all of the notable characters belong to J.K. Rowling.**

* * *

><p><span>Magnolia Crescent<span>

Chapter Twenty

Diagon Alley

Harry frowned as he looked at the cauldron in front of him. Lupin was casually watching him work over the potion. Harry kept looking over his shoulder, trying to understand what Lupin was up to.

Sirius was sitting in the dining room, reading the teacher's book for the first years. After the Quidditch game, Sirius was true to his word and kept to his work. The house was silent most of the time, as he and Sirius were always working on something. Harry, thanks to Lupin's badgering, had already finished his summer homework. But to be fair, it often took him forever because the Dursely's never wanted to see anything related to Hogwarts. Hedwig flew into the room, landing casually on his shoulder.

She was loving the freedom, taking to the house much faster than he did. Her cage had become all but useless for the past couple of months. Hedwig's talons gripped into his shoulder as he realized she was trying to get his attention.

"One moment, Hedwig," Harry hushed, tapping the cauldron with his wand, causing the potion to bubble and simmer. Lupin walked over to inspect it while Harry looked over at the snowy owl and noticed the letter in her beak.

"It seems Dumbledore has sent you the list of school supplies. Anyone up for a trip to Diagon Alley?" Lupin asked casually. Harry nodded, looking into the cauldron. "Not bad, Harry," he said, noticing Harry. "Why don't you head up and get your stuff together." Harry nodded as he dashed up the stairs. Lupin sat before the potion, inspecting it with a critical eye. Sirius looked up from his book and yawned.

"Something catch your eye?" Sirius asked, setting the book aside. Lupin remained quiet as he tested the potion with a wooden spoon.

"Yes, Harry's grades in Potions is a relatively poor. Passable, but poor nonetheless," Lupin replied calmly.

"But Harry and Hermione helped with potion for the Pensieve," Sirius commented, perplexed. "You can't get poor grades in Potions if you're good enough to make that."

"My point exactly. Harry just finished a grade six potion. It took him awhile, but according to his grades, he shouldn't be able to do that well."

"Well, that's very interesting," Sirius replied, returning to his book. He looked over to see Lupin get a very odd smile on his face.

"I need to take care of something," he stated with a smile, getting up from his chair. "Have fun shopping." Lupin left, taking Harry's cauldron with him. Sirius opened his mouth to speak but Lupin was already out the door before he could say anything. He shrugged his shoulders, turning back to his book. Harry dashed down the stairs and Sirius got up, still reading.

"Where did Lupin go?" Harry asked, looking around the room. Sirius shrugged, not looking away from his book as he pulled out Harry vault key and passed it to his godson. Harry pocketed it as they headed to the fireplace.

"Diagon Alley!" Harry shouted, shooting away and landing inside Ollivander's. Sirius walked out of the fireplace with no troubles. Harry got up, dusting himself off. "I can never seem to get my footing right," he groaned.

"I wouldn't worry about it. You'll get your sea legs eventually," Sirius replied, giving the wandmaker a wave. The wizened old man cringed behind his wands, clearly afraid of Sirius. He didn't seem bothered at all as he and Harry walked out. Harry took point, ready to pick up some galleons in order to get all of his books.

"Mr. Black!" shouted a voice. Sirius finally put his book down, looking up to see an elderly man. He had short, well-kept hair, a nice, even black color. Everything about him was will-trimmed, with naught but the occasional age line on his face. His son, who appeared to be around Harry's age, seemed just as bland, was very much like his father but with a permanent frown etched on his face.

"Mr. Nott," Sirius replied, noticing the man was sporting a second wand. It had a white bone handle, but Nott put it away before Sirius could really study it.

"Mr. Black, it's good to see you out and about," he greeted, holding out his hand. Sirius shook it wearily. It was a single, solid shake before the men relaxed. "It's good to see an innocent man been righted. Has there been any word on, well, you know," he trailed off.

"Pettigrew? Nothing, but some of us like to believe that he was eaten," Sirius said dryly. Nott Sr. seemed to rear back in disgust, hands going for his pocket.

"Dad, can we get going? We need to get my school supplies," Nott Jr. interjected. Nott Sr. nodded, looking at Sirius.

"If you need readjusting, let me know. I would be more than happy to help the last man of the House of Black," he said with a wrinkled smile.

Sirius shook his head; Harry gave him a confused look. "Family issues, things I think we should talk about when we get to Gringotts," Sirius explained. Harry nodded, not sure why Sirius didn't want to talk about any of his family members.

They didn't get any grief at the bank and they easily headed onto to the tram while the goblin got it ready.

"So?" Harry asked casually, looking at Sirius. He closed his eyes.

"My parents were paranoid, never trusted anyone. They did, however, support my brother, Regulus, after he joined the Death Eaters. My parents couldn't have been prouder, despite their own desire to stay safe. My family, Harry, is filled with support for the Dark Arts. In fact, I am a bit of a black sheep in the fact that I am a Gryffindor," he explained.

"That's it?" Harry asked. He was never bothered by family issues; his own wasn't exactly a good example of Muggles.

"I didn't think it would bother you, but it was why Nott addressed me so happily. He thinks I will take up after my family after being shafted by working for the Order. Not likely," he chuckled. "I ended up running away at an early age because of all the pressures of home life. I'm not proud of it," he replied, finally getting it off his chest.

"Well, that explains why that painting screeches like it does. We are going to have to put another Silencing Spell on her," Harry reminded.

"I swear that house elf is constantly undermining my efforts," Sirius cursed. Harry smirked a bit; even though he knew he shouldn't, he was still bothered by his godfather's treatment of the creature.

"About that, I really think you could lay off Kreacher. He really doesn't deserve the abuse," Harry replied, looking at Sirius. The man didn't reply at first; instead closing his eyes.

"Why?" Sirius asked. "That damn thing deserves it." Harry frowned at his godfather.

"You're starting to remind me of how another man treated his house elf," Harry shot back, his voice a little cross. Sirius glanced at him, expecting Harry to clarify.

"And that would be?" he asked, encouraging an explanation.

"Lucius Malfoy," Harry said bitterly. "He regularly beat his house elf, Dobby, who happens to be a good friend of mine – even if he is a little unorthodox by elf standards," Harry admitted. Sirius looked like he had just recovered from a blow to the gut.

"I'll try," he replied quietly, looking forward. "My mother was never too thrilled about house elf treatment."

"You're starting to sound like my father," Harry grinned. They glanced at each other for a second before breaking into laughter. The goblin turned to give them a confused look, clearly thinking both of these wizards were off their rockers.

"Wizards," he muttered to himself as the tram came to a stop. They collected the money they needed before heading to Flourish and Blotts. Much to Harry's surprise and protest, Sirius covered all of his school expenses.

"Sirius, that was the reason I went to the bank to start with," Harry protested. Sirius waved him off, placing his coins on the table.

"I know that, but it's your money. Take a look around and see if there's anything you find interesting," he smiled, waving his hand around the store. Harry scowled but the teller had already completed the transaction. With a small shrug, he moved away to scan the many unending rows of books. Before he knew it, he was in the dueling section.

"_Practical Spells for Dueling_," Harry read. "By _Filius Flitwick_." Harry paused, picking the book up for a closer look. It was filled to the brim with all sorts of different dueling spells, as well as forms, wrist movements, even wand upkeep to help keep spells fluid. Harry smirked as he closed the book and checked the price. He nearly dropped it. "That's a lot of galleons," he murmured, glancing back at Sirius. But thanks to his godfather, he did have some extra money, so why not? Harry paid for the book and flipped open as he began to read.

His money was now low but he wasn't too terribly concerned as they headed back out onto the brick alleyway. Sirius insisted on taking care of everything and carrying it all in a small bag, even though Harry kept telling him that he could carry his own supplies.

"Hey, Harry!" Ron greeted, dashing over to see his friend. Harry put his new book down as Ron gave him a look of concern. "Not you too. Please don't tell me you're turning into a book worm," Ron cried. Harry handed him the book while Ron realized what it was.

"Taking up dueling, Harry?" Fred asked.

"Then again, with your luck, it's probably a good idea," George finished. Ron handed him back the book as the rest of his family appeared as well.

"Hello, Harry," Mr. Weasley greeted. Ginny muttered something that vaguely sounded like "hello". Harry nodded, shaking hands with Mr. Weasley.

"Guess what, Harry? We got tickets to see the World Cup!" Ron nearly shouted, eyes going wide. He looked to his father. "We have an extra ticket, can Harry come as well?" he asked.

"If he wants to," Mr. Weasley replied, pulling out an extra ticket. Harry looked at Sirius; his godfather shrugged his shoulders.

"Thank you," Harry smiled, accepting the ticket. "Wait, you said 'as well.' Who else is coming?" he asked, looking at Ron.

"We met Hermione earlier, she's coming too," Ron replied, seeming more excited about the game than anything else. Harry smiled, hoping to see her as well. "Oh well, guess what? Wood is going to playing in the World Cup!"

"When, wait, what?" Harry replied, a shocked expression on his face.

"Yeah, after the game we went to see, Wood started playing and he did amazingly well. Some even think it's thanks to him that England is going to be playing against Bulgaria."

"I never would have thought. I haven't been able to keep up on it," Harry admitted. Ron's jaw dropped, making look like he had just gotten slapped.

"We'll pick you up. Make sure you're packed and we're going to be camping as well," Mr. Weasley said, cutting off the conversation. "We need to be going," he reminded, causing Ron to moan. Harry smiled at his friend as he walked away. Harry and Sirius headed off through Diagon Alley. Harry was in need of a new cauldron.

"Well, Barty Crouch, good to see you," Sirius smiled. The man froze like a deer caught in headlight. Harry looked confused, not knowing who he was.

"Mr. Black," he smiled, faltering for a second. "So good to see you." The corners of his mouth twitched as he eyed Sirius.

"So, I hear things are running smoothly in the administration," he commented. Crouch sighed, the smile falling from his face.

"Look, I get it, Black. You're mocking me. I'm sorry, I don't regret my actions but you didn't deserve the time in Azkaban. Here, I happen to have a few extra tickets to the World Cup. It's not much, but making me squirm isn't going to help," he explained, digging into his pocket.

"I don't know. It makes me feel a lot better. Your tactics wound up with an innocent man in jail," Sirius retorted, crossing his arm. Harry gave him a nudge.

"Let it go. You haven't given anyone grief and you have tickets to see the World Cup as well," Harry said. Sirius frowned, upset that his fun was now being ruined.

"Fine, killjoy," he muttered, looking to Crouch. "Fine, just do a better job from now on," he seethed, spotting Nott a little ways off. "Especially when there are better targets," he added under his breath. Sirius pocketed the tickets he was handed before Crouch all but ran off.

"Was that really necessary?" Harry asked, surprisingly calm as he looked at his godfather.

"Yes it was. Because of his rules and regulations, I got put in Azkaban without a trail. It's also the reason that some people got off with no issues. Trust me, the system needs to be shaken up a bit so people like Nott and Malfoy aren't allowed free," Sirius explained with a frown. Harry grimaced, realizing that Sirius did indeed have a point. Draco's father caused a lot of problems with Tom Riddle's diary and he still got off scot-free.

"Understandable, but it was still pretty mean," Harry replied.

"I understand your point of view, Harry, but the world isn't black and white. People in the Ministry are just as dangerous as Death Eaters if they feel like making you a villain is more appropriate than celebrating," Sirius responded. "So, be careful as you get older. Don't be surprised if people try to drag you into politics and other fun things. In fact, the reason you got a Merlin award with all the press was to make it seem like there was water under the bridge," Sirius explained.

"Sounds fun and pointless," Harry replied, disgust in his voice. "Do you remember why they gave me an Order of Merlin award, Sirius?"

Sirius gave him a pointed look. "For figuring out the truth and setting an innocent man free," he explained. "They told you this, did you forget already?" Harry shrugged, not making a big deal out of it. "Anyways, politics is probably one of the dirtiest fights you can get into." Harry was about to make a reply when Hermione shouted at him.

"Harry!" she called. Harry blinked, forgetting about the Ministry as she pulled him into a tight hug. "Ouch, what are you reading?" she asked, taking note of the book in his arms. Harry smiled as he handed her the book. "Dueling? You're going to let me borrow it right?" she asked, flipping through the pages and spotting the spells.

"Soon as I'm done," he replied as she handed the book back.

"So, did you get your homework done?" she asked, flashing a smile and revealing her buck teeth for a moment.

"Got it done in the first week," he replied, nodding his head proudly. "And Sirius has been helping me work on new spells as well," he admitted. Hermione blinked in surprise.

"Look out, Hermione. If Harry has even half of his mom's skill, your title for the brightest is in trouble," Sirius teased.

"Really?" Hermione asked, clearly more intrigued than threatened.

"Yeah, Lily was amazing with magic. I heard she even turned a flower petal into a fish," Sirius admitted. Hermione stared in surprise with Harry. "But get ahold of yourself, it's just a rumor. I doubt she was that good when she was little. I mean, even for a person who grew up around magic their whole life, it would be difficult, pureblood or otherwise," Sirius quickly denied.

"Wait, she was a muggleborn as well?" Hermione asked casually.

"Yeah, in fact, you really remind me of her," Sirius replied, nodding. Hermione blushed red at the comment.

"Thank you. Hey, did you see Ron?" she asked casually.

"Yeah, he invited me to join them for the World Cup," Harry replied, nodding. Hermione smiled at that.

"So did I. I can't wait to go," she smiled. Harry raised an eyebrow at her. "I always wanted to know what they do to keep so many wizards from being discovered." Harry nodded, finding that believable; she wasn't all that big on sports. "Well, I have to get going. I still have some more supplies to pick up." Harry nodded, understanding as she went back to her parents.

"Never would have believed it if I didn't see it myself," Sirius said with a smile, nudging Harry in the shoulder. He turned to give his godfather a confused look.

"I don't follow," Harry replied. Sirius pointed to Hermione as she faded into the crowd.

"I hear some men and women go after people who remind them of their opposite sex parent. I didn't see it, but she is a firecracker and reminds me of Lily," Sirius said with an all knowing smile.

"Me and Hermione? No, no, we-we're just friends," Harry quickly denied. Sirius shrugged as they walked on.

"If you say so, but just so you know, you're going to be having a dance this year. Keep an eye out for possible dates," he said, causing Harry to think about their words. "We have three tickets. I plan on asking Lupin to come. You got anyone to invite?" Sirius asked, finishing up their shopping.

"You're not going to ask Blythe?" asked Harry.

"Why do you ask?" Sirius asked, taking pause.

"Well, you two kept me up for a long time the past few months. I figured you two were going out or something," Harry replied.

"I could have sworn I put up silence wards," Sirius swore, snapping his fingers in bewilderment.

"I knew it!" Harry shouted. Sirius jumped in surprise at having been caught.

"You sneaky devil," Sirius chided. "But to answer your question, we haven't talked in a while. Good to see you still got some James left in you," Sirius chuckled, making a mental note to keep a closer eye on Harry. "Wait, she will be playing, that's why I can't invite her."

"I know. Seems those gears are slipping, old man," Harry teased. "So, about the earlier question," Harry started, looking a little smug at getting Sirius back for his teasing. "I think I know someone who may be interested in joining us."

* * *

><p><strong>So Sirius and Harry decide to tease each other over girls. Boys will be boys, I suppose. Anyways, R&amp;R as always!<strong>

**~LE  
><strong>


	21. Dreams and Games

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything of this story. Harry Potter and all of the notable characters belong to J.K. Rowling.**

* * *

><p><span>Magnolia Crescent<span>

Chapter Twenty-One

Dreams and Games

"Morning, Harry," Sirius said as Harry came down the stairs for breakfast. It was about a week until he was scheduled to catch the Hogwarts Express and the day before the Quidditch World Cup. Sirius glanced up from the _Daily Prophet_ to see the look on his godson's face. "Something wrong?"

"Nightmare, I think," he murmured, attempting to brush it off. "I think we need to be extra wary of Nott Sr. though."

"And why is that?" Sirius pressed, wanting to get the whole story. "I want to hear all about it."

"The dream I had last night. I saw him and I'm assuming Voldemort talking about a plan for his return – and it involved me. There was some mention of a woman that they killed and I saw them kill a Muggle right before the dream ended," Harry explained.

Sirius adorned a thoughtful expression and he mulled over the pieces of the dream that Harry had presented him with. "Quite the strange dream, if I do say so myself," he finally said. "Well, we'll be at Hogwarts within a week's time. We'll have to talk to Dumbledore about this. Perhaps he can offer some insight."

"Sounds like a plan then," Harry agreed, finally sitting down and starting on his breakfast.

"Hey, you never did tell me who you invited to come with us to the World Cup," Sirius pressed.

"Oh, a friend from school. His name is Leo Holmes," he replied. "He helped us set Buckbeak free. I figured I should probably repay him somehow."

"I like the way you think," Sirius smiled. "When did he say he was going to show up?"

"Some time tonight. Oh, I forgot to ask if it was okay for him to spend the night," Harry grinned.

"I got no problem with it. That might actually make things a little less stressful," Sirius laughed. "Then we won't have to wait for him, just Remus, and he's always on time so we don't have to worry about that." Harry nodded, finishing off his breakfast. The two spent the rest of the day going over new spells for the third and fourth years. Shortly after dinner, Leo arrived in the fireplace, Lupin right behind him.

"Remus, I thought you were going to show up in the morning," Sirius said, furrowing his brow in confusion.

"Figured this might be easier," he shrugged. "I see Leo will be joining us as well," he commented, looking at the blonde boy readjusting his ponytail.

"Harry invited him along," Sirius explained.

"So, how's your summer been?" Leo asked Harry, stepping away from the adults. "I didn't know you guys knew a teacher personally."

"It's been pretty good," Harry replied, leading him to the upstairs. "Sirius and Lupin have been making me learn new spells. The only good thing is that I'm going to have a headstart on everybody else."

"Sounds like it's been relatively fun then," Leo laughed. "Where's the rest of your group?"

"We're going to meet them at the Cup," Harry replied. "We had thought about everyone staying at the Burrow but we remembered that their house isn't exactly all that big. Besides, Ron's parents aren't the biggest fans of Sirius."

"Why? I thought he was proven innocent," Leo stated.

"Yeah, but the people who were around when he was imprisoned are still uneasy around him, an assumed Death Eater and murderer," Harry explained. "But the fact that I have no issues staying with him and that nothing has happened to me thus far should speak volumes."

"Hey, I'm with you guys. In fact, I'm still trying to figure out why I was placed in Slytherin," Leo said, extending his hand to Hedwig.

"I don't know, you seem to fit the bill fairly well," Harry joked.

"Says the man who, in my opinion, doesn't belong in Gryffindor," Leo grinned.

"Hey, don't stay up too late," Sirius hollered up the stairs. "We have to get up extremely early to get there on time tomorrow."

The following morning was hectic. Sirius had Leo and Harry awake far earlier than they would have liked. In fact, it was so early, all the boys did was push around their breakfast, a fact that Lupin was quick to comment on.

"Did we have to get up this early, Sirius?" Harry asked, setting aside his breakfast.

"Would you rather be rushed out the door right before we miss our ride?" he asked, finishing off his own food.

"Dude, neither of us are hungry. Can we get going now?" Leo asked, standing to his feet. Sirius gave him a glance before inclining his head and motioned for them to follow him. He led them to the park that wasn't far from Grimmauld Place.

"Sirius, why didn't we take the Floo Network?" Harry asked, following his godfather around a large tree.

"There's no fireplace there. We have to travel by something entirely different," he replied. Harry opened his mouth to ask but Lupin cut straight to the chase.

"We're taking a portkey, Harry."

"A portkey?" Leo asked. "What in the world is a portkey?"

"A portkey is any item that a Muggle is bound to believe as rubbish. The only difference is that it is enchanted to teleport a witch or wizard to someplace else," Lupin explained. "The portkey we're looking for is designed to leave at a preset time, the reason why we woke so early this morning."

"Aha! I found it!" Sirius shouted, rushing a few feet ahead of them. The three quickly caught up to see Sirius holding onto a folded old newspaper that was beginning to turn yellow.

"That's a portkey?" Harry asked in astonishment.

"Yep, now get in close and take hold of it. We've only got a few seconds left until it leaves," Sirius stated, holding out the newspaper. They took hold, Harry and Leo more tentatively then Lupin. The two young boys exchanged a glance only a second before a hook seemed to grab them behind their belly button.

Suddenly, the group was rapidly spinning through the air, the wind creating a deafening sound in their ears. Harry thought he might become sick at any given moment and right before he thought he could take no more, everything stopped. The world still felt like it was spinning but it wasn't.

"London's just arrived," a man spoke not too far away. Harry and Leo glanced up to see Sirius handing the used portkey to a man behind a table.

"Sirius Black, party of four," Sirius stated, pulling tickets out of his pocket.

"What a way to travel," Leo said, eyes clearly unfocused as he tried to gain his bearings again. "I don't like it." Harry grinned at his statement.

"Well, are you boys ready?" Sirius asked, rejoining the group. "I've got all of the-" Sirius paused what he was saying as another portkey arrived a few feet away from them. Harry and Leo turned to see a family of fiery redheads accompanied by Hermione. Not far behind them, Harry saw Cedric Diggory, the Captain and Seeker of Hufflepuff house, with a man that must have been his father.

"Oi, Harry! You made it!" Ron cried, stumbling over the ground towards where Harry stood. "Mum and Dad were a bit worried but we completely forgot that Lupin was coming with you."

"Honestly, Ron. He's fine, can't you tell?" Hermione sighed, stepping next to the trio of boys.

"Hey, Granger," Leo said, drawing out her surname. "Didn't know you were into sports. You never cease to surprise me." Hermione rolled her eyes, smirking none the less.

"Do you guys have any idea where your tent is at?" Ron asked in a hurried voice.

"You'd have to talk with Sirius," Harry shrugged. "It sounded like he was going to tell us right before your portkey arrived."

"Poor timing on our part, huh?" Ron grinned.

"Hiya, Harry!" Fred and George said in unison, each clasping a hand on Harry's shoulder. He jumped slightly before grinning at the twins.

"Well, kids," Mr. Weasley said, walking over to the group. The adults all followed after him. "It seems fate is smiling on you. Our spots are right next to each other." Harry and Ron turned to each other and exchanged a rather large smile.

"Looks like there'll be at least one representative from each of the Hogwarts houses," Leo said dryly, staring pointedly at Cedric, and another man presumably the man's father.

"Well, close enough. We are still missing a Ravenclaw," Hermione pointed out.

"Good point," Leo admitted, frowning with realization.

"Sirius Black," the man said, panic seeping from his eyes.

"Oh, yes. This is Amos Diggory and his son, Cedric. Amos works for the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures," Mr. Weasley explained.

"Yeah, he was one of the seekers back when James and I were in school. Good to see you again," Sirius said, clearly on his best behavior.

"Yeah, so, this must be Harry Potter and Remus Lupin?" Amos replied casually, regaining his composure. Lupin, Harry and Leo all said hi to them both.

"Ced's talked about you before, of course," Amos continued, directing his attention to Harry. "Told us all about playing you last year. I said to him, I said – Ced, that'll be something to tell your grandchildren, that will. You beat Harry Potter," Amos said. Harry stood there, unsure of how to respond. Cedric gave an embarrassed grin as he looked at his dad. Lupin glanced over at the man, clearly not comfortable with the comment.

"Yeah, too bad for you, Amos, there were no dementors to take me out when I finally took you out in my fourth year," Sirius smiled, looking over at Amos. "Maybe next Quidditch season, we can see what happens when we don't have magical creatures attacking the field," Sirius said, clearly unhappy with the comment directed at his godchild.

Amos opened his mouth, doing his best interpretation of a fish as Cedric shook his head, leading his father away from the group. Lupin frowned at Sirius.

"What?" Sirius asked, looking a bit hurt at the accusing glare his friend was giving him. "He was picking on my godson, rather childishly at that. I wasn't going to stand around and let them pick on him." Lupin said nothing but shook his head.

"Some things never change," he muttered under his breath.

"Anyway," Mr. Weasley interjected, glancing at the twins. They were chuckling over the comment Sirius made. Both stopped quickly when they saw Mr. Weasley looking at them but they couldn't hide the approving grin on their faces. Sirius reached into his pocket, pulling out a handful of bills, seeming to count them in his head.

"Now for the fun part," Sirius griped. "Muggle money – always so complicated," he cursed under his breath. "Here, our tent should be here." Sirius pointed to a spot on the paper he was handing Lupin. "I need to go pay for our campground," he informed. Lupin nodded, taking the paper.

"As do I. Um, would you, um," Mr. Weasley said nervously as he fished out a few bills of his own. Sirius nodded as he walked off with the redheaded father right behind him.

"Hey, um, Hermione, I was wondering if I could sit next to you so I can get a good view?" Leo asked.

"How would sitting next to me improve your view?" she asked, a little confused. Leo gave her a pleading smile. "Fine," she consented, sighing as she turned away. Leo did a victory fist pump. Ron gave him a solid glare while Harry glanced between them, confusion evident on his face.

"Well, here we are," Lupin stated, tossing a small bag in the middle of a small patch of grass before them. Leo gave a quick nod, taking out his wand. He walked over to the side of the tent, Harry following suit. With a quick swish and flick, the tent started to rise. Harry quickly grabbed the tent poles as he fed them into the tent. With the last stake in place, the three entered to find a two room cabin-like area.

"Wow," Harry said, glancing around. There were two doors to the side, not to mention a fireplace on the back wall. He would never have guessed the tent had all these things inside of it.

"The world never ceases to amaze, huh, Harry?" Lupin asked, sitting down at one of the wood chairs around the kitchen table. Harry nodded, noticing a sofa and recliner near a crackling wood fire. Leo quickly hopped onto the recliner, kicking up his feet and making himself at home. A fine layer of dust erupted from the chair causing Leo to cough.

"Yeah, it's been a while since we dusted the old thing off," Sirius commented, walking into the tent. "Good job on putting the old girl up," he said, smiling as he looked around.

Sirius walked over, shooing Leo out of the chair. He grumbled a bit as he made himself comfortable on the sofa.

"Sirius, I have a question I need to ask you," Harry stated. Sirius glanced over at his godson, giving him a warm smile.

"Sure thing, Harry, ask away," he replied casually, leaning back in the recliner.

"How do you know so much about Muggle money? Most wizards I can think of hardly handle it," Harry asked. Leo and Lupin both glanced over, curiosity evident in both of them.

"Well," Sirius started, shifting uncomfortably under their gaze. "I learned about it because it would spite my mother," he explained. Lupin nodded, grabbing the _Daily Prophet_. He quickly opened it up, clearly understanding what Sirius meant by the statement. Leo and Harry exchanged glances, a little confused.

"What do you mean, Sirius?" Harry asked, hoping for some clarification on the statement since he didn't know a whole lot on the Black family.

"I would rather not talk about it," Sirius murmured, glancing over at Leo for a brief second. Leo shrugged, understanding why he would be a little uncomfortable talking about his family with a relative stranger in their presence. "Well, I better look over the fridge. I need to make sure the preservation spells are still working," he said, changing the topic as he stood up from his chair. He glanced at Harry for a brief moment. "We'll talk about it later. Besides, I will need you to know about it eventually, being the newest addition to the Black family." Sirius gave Harry a slap on the back, walking over to the dinosaur of a fridge.

"Hey, Harry! You want to hang out? We got some time before we need to head to the stadium," Ron mentioned, poking his head into the tent. "Wow, you guys got a lot more room than we do. Can I bunk with you guys?" he asked, a big smile on his face.

Harry looked over at Lupin who simply shrugged as he went back to his paper.

"I don't care!" Sirius shouted, rummaging through the fridge.

"Wicked," Ron grinned, racing inside. "I can't wait for the game! This is going to be so cool to see Krum back in action. England's Puddlemere United vs. Bulgaria and Viktor Krum. I have no idea who to root for. And the best part, Wood is playing Keeper!" he all but shouted. Harry blinked in surprise as he glanced over at Leo.

"Well then, things are going to be interesting. Britain vs. Bulgaria. My money is on Wood. Honestly, Krum is such a showoff," Leo replied, waving the Quidditch star off. Ron looked as though he had just been slapped in the face.

"Take that back," Ron said in a low voice.

* * *

><p><strong>So, they've finally made it the Quidditch World Cup. So, what's going to go down between Ron and Leo? You can almost feel the testosterone in the air. But, you'll find out soon enough. Until then, R&amp;R as always. Love the reviews, guys! Keep 'em coming!<strong>

**~LE  
><strong>


	22. Sonic Leaguers and Veela

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything of this story. Harry Potter and all of the notable characters belong to J.K. Rowling.**

* * *

><p><span>Magnolia Crescent<span>

Chapter Twenty-Two

Sonic Leaguers and Veela

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the 422nd World Quidditch Cup. Here we have England vs. Bulgaria. After an amazing game by England's new keeper, Mr. Wood, keeping the Transylvania team from scoring a single point. With the new blood on the block, shall we see how well Viktor Krum and the Bulgaria team fares?" shouted a voice over what Harry assumed was an intercom. He smirked a bit, starting up the stairs, Ron walking next to him. The amount of wizards running around was mind boggling.

It wasn't long before they were passed by a salesmen that kept apparating every few feet.

"I have been saving all my pocket money up for this," Ron smiled, racing off to get a few souvenirs. After a few moments, he returned with an England hat complete with a flag that appeared to wave in the wind, a blue rosette and a mini figure of Krum. Hermione put on a grumpy expression, causing Ron to look a bit dejected in spite of his new toys.

"And now you know why I don't like buying souvenirs," Leo muttered, voicing his opinion on the items Ron had gotten.

"What's wrong?" Hermione asked, giving him a concerned look.

"I just wish I had a bit more pocket money. There was this really cool Omniculars that could slow things down and stuff but I got this hat before I noticed it. It would have been really cool to get one," Ron admitted. Harry looked over at the salemen.

"Four pairs of the Omniculars," Harry shouted over the crowd.

"No, don't bother," Ron said, going red. Leo perked up a bit as Harry held four of the devices and made his way back.

"You won't be getting anything for Christmas," Harry said as he handed the magical item to Hermione. "For about ten years, mind."

"Fair enough," Ron said, grinning.

"Ooh, thanks, Harry," Hermione said. "And I'll get us some programs."

"Here," Leo said, pulling out ten galleons of his own and handing them to Harry. He pushed his hand back. "Look, I am not going to let you pay for my things," Leo said, pushing his hand back.

"How about this?" Sirius interrupted, pouring a handful of galleons into Harry's hand. "I paid for them so pocket your damn money. We need to get going," he all but ordered.

"Yes, sir," Leo chirped out. Sirius gave a small smile. "He scares me," he whispered to Harry. The group moved on, with Mr. Weasley taking the lead of the massive group.

"Prime seats!" said a Ministry witch at the entrance. It was a long walk up but they finally got to the very top.

"Wow," Leo said. "What an amazing view."

"Yeah, the arena looks really amazing. Did you know it took them a year to get everything ready for the cup?" Hermione asked, looking at Leo who was staring dreamily into space. "Are you even listening?" she scolded.

"Something about a year's worth of preparation and spells to keep the Muggles out," Leo repeated. Hermione blinked, surprised that he was in fact listening to her.

"Well, that's a nice change of pace," she murmured, sitting down. Ron and Leo grabbed seats on either side of her. Ron didn't seem as excited to be here as he originally did. Harry just shrugged it off.

They were right at the halfway point between the golden hoops. Harry looked behind him and spotted a house elf.

"I bet it's saving a seat for its master. Best leave it alone, those creatures are so odd," Leo said, following Harry's gaze.

"Yeah, odd," he replied. Sirius and the rest of the group almost took up the entire front row.

"I take it you had a few examples yourself?" Leo asked.

"I still can't believe people treat them like that. The poor thing," Hermione interjected, having pity on the wrinkly creature.

"To be honest, house elves are given something in return," Leo replied, glancing over at Hermione.

"What do you mean?" she asked, looking over at Leo. He bit his lip for a second.

"House elves need magical energy. More specifically, magical energy from a wizarding house to exist. They don't eat, they don't sleep, you know, people things. So, they live in a wizarding house and they earn their keep. It's a beneficial situation under normal circumstances," Leo explained.

"Oh," Hermione said.

"How do you know all of that?" Ron asked.

"I am well read?" Leo replied, shrugging. Hermione opened her mouth but a new set of voices entered the area. It wasn't long before people starting filing in, Percy and Mr. Weasley shaking the hands of important wizards.

A few people tried to shake Sirius's hand but he brushed them off. Harry felt a bit confused at the action; it seemed only friendly. Then the Minister of Magic entered with a few people as well.

"Sirius," Fudge exclaimed, moving past Percy who turned to send Fudge and Sirius a glare. Sirius put on his best face as Fudge shook both his and Harry's hand.

"And the Bulgarian Minister," Sirius said, recognizing the man. The two shook and a third figure appeared behind them. "The President of the Magical States of America," Sirius stated, surprise in his voice. The man was as tall as the Minister but wore a Muggle suit, reminding Harry of a much thinner Uncle Vernon.

"Pleasure," the man said, reaching out and shaking his hand before quickly pulling back. "Prime Minister, there is something I would like to discuss with you."

"Sure, sure," Fudge said, almost waving the President off. He was clearly angered by this action but didn't respond as they moved away.

"Politics," Sirius muttered, noticing a familiar face framed by white blonde hair. His face brightened suddenly.

"Sirius," Lupin warned in a low voice.

"Fine," Sirius muttered, understanding the unsaid. "Mr. Malfoy," he said, standing to greet the presumed Death Eater.

"Sirius and Arthur," Mr. Malfoy drawled. "Good Lord, what did you have to sell to get seats in the top box? Surely your house wouldn't have fetched this much?"

"Holmes, is that you?" the younger Malfoy asked, spotting his fellow Slytherin sitting next to Hermione. Leo didn't respond.

"A friend of yours?" Mr. Malfoy asked.

"A guest of mine," Sirius emphasized in a cold tone. "I would prefer if you didn't insult them," he ordered, stepping up. The two opposites glared at each other. Harry looked at them, noticing that they were almost complete opposites but with a few glaring similarities.

"But of course," Mr. Malfoy said, breaking off the glare to get his own seat. Sirius stood his ground, watching the man and his family sit down. He adjusted his collar, returning to his own seat.

"Slimy git," Ron muttered under his breath.

"Agreed," Leo maintained. Nearly every eye under red hair turned to look at him. "What? He is."

Harry's attention, however, was quickly taken back to the game before him. "Everyone ready?" Ludo bagman shouted.

Harry watched the massive arena, Ludo's voice echoing around. He was barely paying attention as he announced the mascots.

"I wonder what they brought?" Mr. Weasley wondered out loud.

"Looks like veela!" Lupin observed.

"What are veel – " What came next was something Harry never would have guessed as what appeared to be a hundred beautiful women gilded onto the field. He felt his eyelids go heavy, wondering how they could be so beautiful and before he knew it, he wasn't worried about anything at all. Music filled the air and the vela started to dance.

"Harry, what are you doing?" Hermione asked, the music cutting out. Blinking, Harry quickly realized that Ron and Leo were in a similar state as angry yells filled the stadium. Mr. Weasley reached over and pulled on Ron's hat.

"You're going to want to keep that on if England has its way." He smiled as Harry looked over at Leo, now folded into his chair.

"Huh?" Ron asked, a little slack jawed from the veela.

"Honestly," Hermione groaned, shaking her head.

"And now for the England National Team mascots!" Ludo announced. Suddenly there was a massive bang and shock wave as a group of creatures rocketed out of a firework explosion.

"England! England!"

"Incredible, sonic leaguers! They are creatures made entirely out of sound wave and native to England. I am surprised they managed to get them to perform, very unruly creatures," Lupin revealed. Hermione pouted at him. "What?"

"I think she wanted to explain it," Sirius informed, elbowing him in the arm. They started cheering and it seemed even louder than Ludo. The sonic leaguers moved back up and started orbiting around the field.

The Bulgarian team flew onto the field, Ludo naming each one in turn. The scarlet clad figures rose into the air. Lastly, Krum showed up; the man looked like an overgrown bird of prey. Ron rushed to his feet and cheered.

"And now for the HOME team: the England National Quidditch Team!" Ludo shouted, listing off the red striped players as they flew in. "Oliver Wood." The whole front row of the box stood and cheered for the former Gryffindor as he circled the arena, waving to Harry and the others. "Blythe Parkin!" Sirius whistled as the woman passed by. She gave him a slight wave.

"Some things never change," Lupin groaned, everyone turning to look at him. He gave them a relaxed smile.

"Hey, it's been over thirteen years," Sirius replied, an expression of mock hurt on his face.

"And let the games begin!" Ludo shouted as the Quaffle flew into the air. The players raced after it, one of the Bulgarian Chasers heading straight for Wood. He tossed the ball for one of the rings. Wood kept a cool head, knocking the ball away.

Again and again, the Bulgarian team tried to score but not a single shot was made. Wood slammed his fist into the ball, spiking it across the arena. England scored another ten points.

Krum raced over the stadium, moving as fast as possible. England was now, thanks to Wood, a defensive team. Wood was almost impossible to score against. Blythe was keeping on Krum's tail but she wasn't as fast as the bird-like Seeker.

Harry kept his eyes peeled, noticing that the England team was working in a very familiar pattern. In fact, a few of the moves seemed right out of Wood's playbook from back home.

"Fool, Krum feigned!" Mr. Weasley shouted. Both Lupin and Sirius were on their feet shouting the word as well. Harry soon spotted everyone next to him live with excitement. Even Hermione, who was normally calm during a game, was shouting as well.

Wood leaped off his broom, knocking the Quaffle out of the air. He fell back, grabbing onto the broom handle and dangled for a second before swinging back on like a monkey. The Quaffle came back around and he leaped up, swinging the broom like a bat. He knocked the ball halfway across the field.

"And what a return with England Chaser Avery snatching the Quaffle clean out of the air. Another ten points for England!" shouted Ludo. The score was gradually rising as Wood kept up a level of defense unheard of. The Bulgarian team couldn't get a single point on the board.

"Shut out! Shut out!" Leo cried, pumping his fist in the air as the score slowly rose. Soon, the entire crowd was chanting, all wanting to see a shut out. The pressure was now all on the Seekers – Krum and Parkin.

The two seemed to have spotted gold as they were now racing down the arena, moving neck and neck. The crowd was roaring as the points lined up. One hundred and forty. Krum needed that Snitch if his team was going to win. Harry watched with a critical eye. Krum seemed like he wasn't even on a broom when a sudden thought entered his head.

"If you ever want to play in the big leagues, there is your competition." Harry shook the thought off as he watched the two move up and down as the random ball of gold entered his vision. Now that he had it in his eyes, he would never let it out of his sight.

"One hundred and fifty!" Ludo shouted. Everyone was so focused on the Seekers that they weren't even watching the Chasers. "One hundred and sixty!" Harry kept his eyes focused as Krum started to close in on it. Sirius had a similar look on his face, having spotted the golden ball himself.

"Blast! I lost it," Sirius cursed.

"It just zipped around the tower. They just looped around it," Harry called back.

"Got it!" Sirius shouted, picking back up on the ball. Krum reached out, grasping the ball and suddenly raised his hand. The screens at both ends of the arena showed Krum holding the Snitch above his head.

"And that is the game! England wins!" Ludo shouted. Hermione leapt out of her seat, throwing her arms around both Ron and Leo, nearly knocking their heads together in the process. Fred and George hooked arms and started dancing.

"Why did he end it?" Hermione asked.

"Wood was too strong a goal tender. It was only a matter of time. He wanted to end it on his terms," Harry explained. Hermione nodded.

"Ah, who cares? That sod may have got the Snitch but England gets the Cup!" Leo exclaimed, breaking up their conversation. The sonic leaguers started to roar a victory siren while the English team picked Wood up and literally carried him off the field.

"I got a feeling he is on top of the world right now," Lupin chuckled. Harry was surprised that he could even hear the man.

"Yeah, I bet he is," Harry agreed, looking down at the field. He watched as the teams did a quick round of handshaking with the Ministers. Wood waved at Harry. They gave each other a silent nod. Parkin was the last to round off as she left.

Harry glanced over to see the twins reaching for Ludo Bagman. The spectators began filing out and heading back down the stairs to camp.

Not too much later, they were back at Sirius's tent where Ron was shouting Krum's praises from the table. Leo was in all but a shouting match with the redheaded teen. In the middle of it, two more people entered the celebration.

"Tell your mother – " Mr. Weasley started, talking to the twins, when the party stopped.

"Well, bet you didn't think I would be paying you a visit, did you, Potter?" Wood said, standing the middle of the tent. "To the Seeker who me a big break!" Wood grabbed Harry in a massive hug. "I owe you one, big time, Potter," he whispered. Harry gave a small smirk as Wood pulled away.

"Well, all the same, I took a chance and it paid off, Wood. Thank you, Harry," Blythe Parkin said causally. In the brief silence, Harry heard something outside.

"The singing's stopped," Lupin observed, fear dawning on his face. The party quickly scattered to the front of the tent. People were running past, away from a group wearing tightly pointed hoods and their wands held high. Above them, Harry saw people floating in the nighttime air.

"Death Eaters," Sirius hissed.

* * *

><p><strong>So, we have invented our own creatures. The sonic leaguer. I'm interested in knowing what you think of this new creature. Leave a note in a review? BTW, <em>loving<em> the number of reviews we've been getting! Keep **  
><strong>'em coming!<br>**

**~LE  
><strong>


	23. The Death Eaters

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything of this story. Harry Potter and all of the notable characters belong to J.K. Rowling.**

* * *

><p><span>Magnolia Crescent<span>

Chapter Twenty-Three

The Death Eaters

"Time to break this up. Remus, you stick with the kids. Arthur and I will get the people moving. Harry, watch my back," Sirius ordered, pulling out his wand.

"Wait, you're taking Harry with you? That's stupidly dangerous," Remus pointed out, taking a step forward.

"Yeah, and sending him out into the woods with all this going on is just as brilliant. Harry can handle himself. We spent all summer teaching him," Sirius retorted.

"He's not James, he's just a boy," Remus started.

"I know he isn't, but he's safer with me and Arthur than he is running around, lost in the dark. Besides, he has more experience with the dark arts than most full grown wizards. He'll be behind me the entire time," Sirius said. Remus opened his mouth to protest but nothing came out. Sirius nodded, racing forward into the line of Death Eaters.

"Expelliarmus!" he shouted, blasting the lead Death Eater and knocking the man's wand to the ground. This drew everyone's attention to Sirius.

"Frontal attack, brilliant idea!" shouted Arthur, flicking his wand. All manner of objects floated into the air.

"Everyone, find some cover! Harry, follow me!" Sirius shouted. A few wizards stopped running when they heard Harry's name.

"Stupefy!" Harry shouted, knocking back a Death Eater. Sirius gave him a small nod of approval. Harry kept his head down as the two of them moved around a tent. The Death Eater's ranks suddenly started to disperse.

"They get even the slightest amount of opposition and they start running like cowards. With their Dark Lord, they are about as trusting as teenagers and a school yard prank," Sirius murmured, more to himself than anything.

"Avada – " one started.

"Stupefy!" Harry shouted, knocking the Death Eater to the ground before he could finish. The ranks quickly broke off as the hooded figures dove to the side. A green spell went flying by as Sirius knocked Harry to the side.

"How in the world did you talk me into this?" Arthur shouted, ducking behind a barrel just as a good chunk of it got blown off. Harry regained his footing and shot off another stunning spell. Sirius waved his wand, sending a shock wave. The sound of breaking objects and shouts started to spring back to life. Sirius appeared to have a deranged grin on his face as he stood up. A Death Eater shot a spell at him only for it to be deflected by the shield he had just conjured in front of him. Harry leaped up, setting off a few more spells, his lips giving voice to the incantations. The spells missed but he spotted a few more lights in the distance.

The black cloaked figures seemed to notice what was going on as a few suddenly disappeared in a haze of smoke, fleeing from the area.

"Apparation," Arthur cursed. The last few vanished, seeing no one there to watch their back.

"Run, you little cowards!" Sirius shouted at the top of his lungs. "Arthur, start rounding these bodies up. If an innocent man can stand it, these lot should be right at home in Azkaban," Sirius commented, looking down at one of the Death Eater's unconscious bodies.

The Weasley father popped up, glancing over at a Muggle family floating in the night sky. "We might want to start getting them down. The Ministry is going to have a panic attack from all of this. An international incident; the paperwork for all this is going to be mountainous. Good thing that's not my department," he sighed, more to himself.

"The Aurors should be here soon, Arthur. You think you can handle them? Since Harry and I aren't part of the Ministry, this could get us in a spot of trouble," Sirius explained.

"Sure, more glory for me, I guess. Better get moving," he replied, looking down at the three men bound on the ground. Harry picked up his feet, racing after Sirius. He glanced back to see Arthur waving over a small group of wizards.

Sirius held his wand up, dimly lighting the ground. "Come on, this way," Sirius directed, moving into a small clearing.

"Serves you right," Malfoy sneered. Leo was pressing his fingers into the dark grass, desperately looking for something. Leo ignored him, instead moving around frantically, trying to find his wand.

"Leo, it's gone. You're not going to find it," Hermione said in a quiet voice.

"What did I miss?" Sirius asked, walking into the clearing. Harry glanced over, noticing a house elf not too far behind the group.

"Leo can't find his wand. It's gone missing," Hermione said. Malfoy chuckled at his fellow Slytherin's distress. Leo stood up, clearly upset over his missing wand but still kept his mouth shut all the same. "And, um, a house elf, Winky. She showed up here as well. Thankfully, we managed to keep everyone together."

Sirius nodded. "Good thing, we don't need to go looking around for the twins and the girl," he replied, looking at them.

"And here I thought this was a good night with the bet we had won," Fred commented. George just shrugged.

"There are more important things than money," Ginny reminded.

"Yeah, like someone with shining armor."

"And black hair."

"And maybe a nice pair of glasses to hide some-" they started to call back. Ginny turned almost as red as her hair.

"Shut up!" she shouted at their teasing. Sirius chuckled, eliciting an elbow to the shoulder from Remus.

"We are not out of the woods yet. Let's get moving; we should try to find the Aurors and get as much distance between this place and us," Remus ordered. Everyone gave him a solemn nod.

"Good idea, Remus. Will the blonde over there be joining us?" Sirius asked, looking over at Malfoy.

"I'll be fine without you lot," he said with a smug smile. It slowly shifted into a glare on his rat-like face. "Especially with someone like him around," he added, looking at Lupin before quickly turning tail and running off. Remus took a step to chase him down only for Sirius to put a hand on his shoulder to stop him.

"If anyone is safe in these woods by themselves, it's him. Let's get moving," Sirius reminded. Remus stopped with a sigh, taking a deep breath and starting to walk with the rest back to the tent.

"Well then, let's get moving," Remus said as they made their way back. Harry glanced around the group, wand still in his hand. The group moved slowly, both the adults and the twins keeping a close eye on their surroundings. Harry glanced into the woods, noticing a lone figure. He tapped Hermione on the shoulder and managed to get the rest of the group's attention.

The figure pulled something out of his pocket that had a blue glow at one end. He hastily shoved it back into his pocket, pulling out a wand instead.

"MORSMORDRE!" he shouted, pointing the wand at the sky. Suddenly, the sky glowed green and a massive skull appeared with an equally as massive snake crawling through and wrapping around it.

"Sirius," Harry pointed out as Sirius turned around to see the snake. Harry watched as Sirius's face turned angry and he took out his wand, pointing it at the man. Everyone followed suit right before the figure vanished into the bushes. The group threw spells in his direction but to no avail.

"What's going on? What is that?" Harry asked, noticing the amount of fear everyone was showing. He watched as the snake twisted and knotted itself around the skull. Hermione suddenly pulled him back; Ginny seemed to shrink behind his shadow.

"That's his symbol, his mark," Hermione whispered.

"Voldemort's?" he asked, looking at Hermione with confusion. Leo nodded silently right as twenty wizards apparated in a circle around them. Each had their wands drawn and aimed at the group.

"Stupefy!" twenty voices cried out. Sirius and Remus dropped to the ground, spinning their wands and creating a small shield, deflecting a few spells in the process. Harry brought up his own shield as a few spells bounced away from him.

"Hold your fire!" Remus shouted. "We have kids here!" he ordered as the wands began to lower.

"Barty Crouch, Minister Fudge," Sirius greeted as the man and a few other wizards joined the group. "Have either of you seen Mr. Weasley?" he asked, a massive grin on his face.

"Is my dad okay?" Ginny asked in a panic, pushing past Harry. Barty glared at her for the interruption as she quickly moved behind Harry once more. She grabbed onto his sleeve, looking at him for protection; Harry steeled himself as he looked back at the men.

"Mr. Weasley apprehended three of the rioters and will be recognized as a hero. However, we have more pressing matters to attend to – like you being a Death Eater," he replied, pointing his wand straight at Sirius.

"Honestly, this again? You just can't let anything go, can you?!" Sirius shouted, lowering his wand.

"We caught you at the scene of the crime. And the Dark Mark!" Crouch said, glaring at Sirius. Harry couldn't help but notice a few other witches and wizards still had their wands leveled at him.

"That mark came from over there! We were shooting at the figure before you so rudely interrupted us," Sirius retorted, pointing at where the lone figure had been. "And if you really need proof, check my wand!" Sirius said in a huff, turning his wand over in his hand and offering it to Barty.

"Fine!" Barty snapped, snatching the wand from Sirius. "The rest of you, check out the woods. See if anything he says lines up!" Barty shouted. A few of the wizards moved out. Harry recognized one as Amos Diggory, Cedric's father. "Prior Incantato!" he said. The wand let loose a blue smoke but nothing else. He handed the wand back as Mr. Diggory appeared next to them.

"I found something, but um, it's not human," he muttered, stepping aside to reveal a stunned house-elf.

"But Sirius, we saw a human," Remus commented in a hushed tone. Sirius nodded, frowning slightly as he held up his wand. A massive red dot appeared above the skull. Soon red fire appeared, allowing a massive phoenix to erupt in the sky. Harry blinked, looking back at his godfather.

"Nothing quite as fun as messing with the enemies flag, so to speak," Sirius said, a satisfied smirk on his face. Barty glared at him. Not even a second later, Arthur rushed in as well, looking a bit dirty but all in one piece.

"Dad!" Ginny shouted, moving out from behind Harry to give her father a quick hug. "Glad you're okay."

"You didn't tell them I was okay?" Mr. Weasley asked, looking at Sirius and Harry.

"Barty said something that worried her. Must have slipped my mind," Sirius admitted lamely.

"Hey, that's my wand!" Leo shouted, turning their attention back to the house-elf situation behind them.

"Your wand, so you cast the Dark Mark?" Mr. Diggory accused, glaring at Leo.

"Impossible, he was with us the whole time," Remus said quickly, coming to his defense. "It went missing not even five minutes ago. It could have gotten lost in all the panic," he commented. Leo gave him a curt nod, thankful for the defense.

"Once a teacher, always a teacher," Sirius commented, looking up at the sky and admiring his handiwork.

"So, you found the wand and conjured the Dark Mark?" Mr. Diggory accused, looking at Winky, the house-elf.

"I is not doing magic, sir!" she squeaked.

"Can I have my wand back?" Leo demanded, not too thrilled to see his keepsake being waved around by some random stranger.

"One moment, boy. We have a few tests to do first," Barty snapped, his face lined with wrinkles gained from years of life.

Leo huffed, crossing his arms as the adults continued to mutter and accuse the poor creature. Sirius stepped in, snatching the wand up.

"No, listen up. It was a full-sized human that cast the spell. Picking on this poor creature is pointless," he said. Barty moved forwards, almost pressing his face into Sirius's. "Shut up and get out of my way. That's twice you've accused me with no evidence. Don't make it a third," he threatened in a low voice, shoving the man. He walked away, nodding for the rest to follow.

"Sorry about that," Remus said, walking past Barty as the rest of the teens quickly moved past the group of wizards. Sirius shook his head as he trudged forward.

"Was that really necessary?" Arthur asked, looking at Sirius. Harry glanced back, feeling pity for the house-elf. He heard some wailing sound from the group of wizards.

"Did you see that? Not one second, one implication and they throw away evidence and start pointing fingers. Not one of them doesn't think I'm not a Death Eater. I think my anger is just a tiny bit justified!" Sirius shouted. Harry flinched as Arthur quickly shut up, glancing back at the firebird in the sky.

"Sirius, it's going to take time. Old fears are hard to get over," Remus reminded. Sirius simply grunted.

"Thanks, Mr. Black. I didn't think I was going to get my wand back," Leo said. Sirius looked back at the Slytherin.

"No problem, kid," he replied, a small smile on his face. Harry and the rest of the group remained silent as they returned to the tent.

"But I still don't understand. Why was Mr. Crouch so worked up about that sign?" Harry asked almost as soon as the flap swung shut. Hermione glanced over at him, a little confused. Harry flinched back from the look she was giving him.

"Yeah, Dad. I have never seen so many people in such a massive panic," Ron mentioned.

"Well, it's his symbol," Arthur said, seeming a bit shaken up as well.

"It's the symbol Voldemort used during the war. If you saw it, it often meant someone was dead – sometimes whole families," Sirius interrupted, seeing as Arthur clearly didn't want to talk about it. Ron hissed at the mention of his name but Sirius failed to notice.

"I don't understand the point of all this. Why attack Muggles?" Harry asked, confused.

"It's their idea of fun," Leo interjected, his expression dark. "It is the fun of bullies and other weak individuals," he said, moving towards the door. "I am going to bed."

"Yeah, I guess it is," Remus admitted, watching Leo walk outside. "It wasn't uncommon for the Death Eaters to randomly attack Muggles whenever they wanted to. Wouldn't surprise me if the reason it happened tonight was because of a few too many shots of fire whiskey," Remus mused.

"Such a pity. I was really hoping to see Lucius in the morning but I have a feeling he will be nursing a hangover by then," Sirius replied, clapping his hands together.

"I think everyone should get to bed as well. Maybe head home in the morning; God knows this is going to be a lot of fun tomorrow," Arthur replied.

Harry felt a yawn grow in his throat as he walked off, motioning for Ron to follow him. They had just walked out when Hermione actually raced after them. When she caught up, she looked at Harry and slapped him.

"What was that for?" he asked, stunned as he rubbed his face.

"Don't ever go running off like that again. I was worried sick about you," she replied, turning on her heel and walking back to the tent. Harry looked to Ron, who simply shrugged. Harry rubbed his face, his mind going back to his nightmare and the Dark Mark in the sky. He recalled the possibilities but with Sirius taking on the new teaching position, he felt a bit more at ease.

"Whatever he has planned, it won't work anymore with Sirius around," he told himself, not sure if he believed it or if it was just a simple comfort.

* * *

><p><strong>Here it is, the next chapter. You're welcome! I hope you enjoy it, and please keep those reviews coming!<strong>

**~LE  
><strong>


	24. Business Taken Care Of

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything of this story. Harry Potter and all of the notable characters belong to J.K. Rowling.**

* * *

><p><span>Magnolia Crescent<span>

Chapter Twenty-Four

Business Taken Care Of

The next morning, Sirius and Remus quickly put the tent away as the others simply stood, numb from last night's events. The floating bodies, the Mark in the sky, everyone seemed to want to leave. Tents seemed to vanish inhumanly fast, even with the use of magic.

"I hate refolding these things," Sirius grumbled to himself, stomping on the tent for good measure. Remus sighed, snatching the case up before he could do anymore damage. Sirius walked after him as they quickly made their way back to the portkey.

"I can't believe they didn't catch the man who sent that spell up," Charlie muttered under his breath.

"I can't believe that stupid elf," Percy muttered as well to himself. Harry noticed Hermione give him a sharp glare over the comment but she kept her mouth shut. Harry put that in the back of his mind to ask about later.

"We will be heading to your house first. I am sure Molly will want to see all of us before we head home," Sirius mentioned.

"Thanks, I really think she would appreciate it. Harry has always been like part of the family," Arthur replied, smiling back at Harry. He looked away, feeling a bit embarrassed. He glanced back to see Ginny hiding in his shadow, jumping at nearly anything that looked big enough to hide a full-grown person.

Harry felt a stab of sympathy for the girl. She always seemed to be getting the blunt of the problems. Between the chamber, the boggart and now all this, he silently wondered how she was keeping herself together.

They grabbed ahold of an old boot and before they knew it, they were on the front lawn of the Burrow with a familiar mother rushing towards them.

"Oh, thank goodness, you're alright! I read the headlines!" she shouted, grabbing her husband with a massive hug. "You big idiot! You could have gotten yourself killed!"

Arthur looked confused before she stuffed a copy of the Daily Prophet into his hands. "I made front page," he said, looking at the crumpled paper in his hands.

"Arthur Weasley seemed to be the only competent man in the Ministry – responsible for single handedly apprehending three Death Eaters during the tragic events at the Quidditch World Cup," Hermione read aloud.

"Congratulations, Mr. Hero," Sirius smiled, clapping him on the back. Harry watched as each of the redheads got scooped up in a massive hug. Harry braced himself as he got hugged as well. Leo was given a small hug in comparison to the others, which Leo seemed relieved over. Ginny seemed to be trying to recapture her breath.

Harry moved towards her, rubbing her back as Ginny gave him a thankful smile. "Thanks," she said in a quiet whisper, quickly vanishing from his side and back into the house.

"So, what's with you and our sister, Harry?" George asked. Poor Harry found himself surrounded by the twins and Charlie.

"You have been getting pretty close to her," Fred added.

"Not planning anything, are you?" asked Charlie, looking down at Harry. He opened his mouth to protest.

"No way. She has been under a lot of stress and I just want to make sure she is okay," Harry replied, looking a bit confused.

"I don't know," Charlie said, glaring down at Harry. "I think he has got a heart out for our little sister."

"I bet he thinks she owes him for all the times he came to her rescue," George added, exchanging a knowing glance with the others.

"Nothing like that. Nothing like that at all. She's my best friend's sister, I would never," Harry quickly blurted out, feeling more color on his face than he thought possible. "Sirius, help me out," he asked, searching for any kind of backup.

"Sorry, Harry. You want to snog a cute girl, you got to deal with the family first," Sirius replied with a smile, clearly amused.

"Huh?" Harry said. It looked like his face had turned into a tomato as he just stood there.

"I am so proud; you take more after your father than I gave you credit for."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Molly asked hotly, glaring at Sirius.

"Nothing at all," he replied, quickly plastering a fake smile on his face.

"Something I don't know about?" Arthur asked. Molly quickly turned red.

"Nothing at all, dear. Don't you have someplace to be?" she asked, sending another glare at Sirius.

"Oh, right the thing," Remus said, tripping over his words. "You know, the thing. With the Quidditch player."

"Oh right," Sirius said, eye lighting up. "We lost our two guests," he realized.

"Wood!" Harry, Ron and Hermione all shouted at the same time.

"Arthur, get Harry home. We have a few people we need to check up on," Sirius stated. Harry looked a bit downcast; he was being sent home instead of out for a change.

"They can stay here for now," Molly said quickly while Remus nodded. "Dear, go with them. I'll keep an eye on the kids." Sirius looked at Harry with a slight frown on his face before his godson nodded.

"Let me know when you find something," Harry said. Sirius gave a quick nod before the three vanished. The remaining group moved into house, heading for the living room. Molly looked up at the grandfather clock devise that kept track of the family members. She kept glancing at it as the hours passed.

"Look, I need to get home. Not that I don't mind the company but I got a feeling my mum will want to see me as well," Leo finally said.

"Right," Molly replied, standing. "I am so sorry. Forgot all about getting you home. Your mother must be worried sick," she said, moving to the fireplace.

"They don't have a Floo connection," Leo said, looking at the fireplace.

"Guess I will need to go home as well," Harry said. Leo didn't reply but Harry noticed that he shifted a bit as they moved into the fireplace. Harry fell onto the hard floor of Grimmauld Place before he quickly got up. Not a second later, Leo joined him, stepping out unharmed.

"Why am I always the one ruffed up by this darn thing?" he asked himself.

"Thanks for letting me join you," Leo said, making his way to the front door.

"No problem. Sorry it went so sour towards the end," Harry apologized.

"Harry, with your reputation, it wouldn't be fair if something didn't happen," Leo chuckled. Harry frowned at the comment. "No offense."

"No big deal," he said, well aware of the reputations he had garnered from people like Malfoy who thought of him a sow off while others figured he was just a magnet for trouble.

Leo nodded and with a quick handshake, he was out the door and on his way. Harry looked around the big house; it felt odd without Sirius around. With a spark of inspiration, he called for Hedwig, wanting to send a message to his godfather now that he was home.

The snowy owl flew down, landing on his outstretched arm, biting playfully at his hair. Harry chuckled, trying to push her beak away and keep his hair on his head.

"Bloody bird," Kreacher muttered. Harry's heart almost skipped a beat. "Noisy thing wouldn't stop cawing," he groaned.

"Sorry, she just wanted out for a bit to stretch her wings," Harry explained. The house-elf didn't seem convinced as he grabbed a stool to deal with the portrait of Mrs. Black. Harry winced, moving up the stairs to get a quill and paper. When he got to his room, he grabbed what he needed and sat down at an old wooden desk.

"A sandwich, Master Potter?" Kreacher offered, appearing with a small pop next to him. Harry looked at the sandwich.

"Thanks, but I didn't ask for it."

"Master Black asked if you ever made it home before him to offer you something to eat," Kreacher replied, glaring at Harry with massive tennis ball-like eyes.

"Um, thanks," Harry said, gingerly taking the ham sandwich. "I appreciate it, Kreacher," he said, taking a bite of the food. He could have sworn he saw the faintest smirk on the elf's face. Taking it as a figment of his imagination, he went back to finishing his note. Hedwig held out her leg for him to tie to the note. She hopped onto his arm as he flung open the window and she leaped into the sky.

Harry took a deep breath; it felt weird. The house was cleaned up, new carpet and it felt a bit brighter. Walking onto to the landing, he could still smell some of the fresh paint Sirius had put up – a dark crimson. Sirius was pretty quick to start using Gryffindor colors – something that caused a few of the portraits no end of grief. Walking down the stairs, he could still see the tools Sirius had used to try and chisel his mother's portrait off the wall. Sirius had settled for a Silencing spell but the damage he had done to the wall was still visible.

Harry sighed, settling in the sitting room to wait. He picked up one of his school books, having nothing better to do.

Harry blinked, sitting up. He looked down to see his book resting on his chest, realizing that night had fallen. He was about to close his eyes once more when the door opened. Harry slowly stood up at Sirius moved into the light in the hallway.

"So, did you find Wood and your girlfriend?" Harry asked, not missing a chance to do some teasing of his own. Sirius gave him a smile.

"Both fine, and I have a date as well," he smiled, holding up a small piece of parchment. "I am surprised you are up this late."

"I fell asleep on the couch."

"I see. Well, nothing like a school book to put you out in my opinion," Sirius said, noticing the book in Harry's hand.

"Well, I had nothing better to do," he shrugged, setting the book on an end table.

"Huh, perhaps a pool table or something. I don't know, maybe a TV. Anything to liven this place up, feels like something out of the 1800's."

"You would get a TV?" Harry asked. Sirius gave a wry grin.

"Hey, anything to spite the family. Besides, I got no issues with Muggle contraptions. Better than sitting around reading school books all summer long. Better yet, get a girlfriend or something. Plenty of rooms to hide in, if you know what I mean," Sirius joked. Harry flashed red as his godfather laughed. "Well, off to bed. We got a platform to get to soon enough."

"Will you be taking the train?" Harry asked.

"Nah, I got to get there early. Haven't been able to look at my office – got to get things organized for the first day of class," Sirius said, moving upstairs with Harry following him. They passed Kreacher on the way up as Sirius glared at him. "And make sure when we are gone, not to let the dust settle. Keep it clean," Sirius ordered.

"Yes, Master. Anything to serve the Noble House of Black," the house-elf replied, returning the glare.

"Do you really have to be so mean to him?" Harry asked.

"Yes," Sirius returned bluntly. Harry shook his head.

"Well, see you in the morning. If not, at school," Harry said, entering his new room. Sirius gave him a wave as he walked further down the hall to his own bedroom to get some sleep as well.

* * *

><p><strong>Not to much to say, but R&amp;R as always please!<strong>

**~LE  
><strong>


	25. The Snakes and The Raven

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything of this story. Harry Potter and all of the notable characters belong to J.K. Rowling.**

* * *

><p><span>Magnolia Crescent<span>

Chapter Twenty-Five

The Snakes and The Raven

The following morning came far too early for Harry. He woke to the bright sunshine falling across his bed and sluggishly made his way downstairs for breakfast. He felt as if he had hardly gotten any sleep the night previous but that could be because he had stayed up most of the night waiting for Sirius.

Sirius, on the other hand, was bright-eyed and bushytailed as he finished making breakfast.

"Ah, look who finally decided to get up!" he exclaimed, preparing a plate for his godson. "I figured that if you had gotten up within the next few minutes, I would come and wake you up. Don't need you missing the train, now do we?" he said, sitting down with his own plate of food. Harry, knowing that Sirius would disapprove of his not eating, immediately dug into his breakfast. Not to mention, after the scare yesterday at the Quidditch World Cup, it felt like he hadn't eaten in years, he was so hungry.

"Are you going to be taking me King's Cross?" Harry asked between mouthfuls of food.

"Most likely and I'll probably be there until the train departs before heading off to Hogwarts myself," Sirius replied, eating his food a bit more slowly. "I thought of something," Sirius said, putting down his fork and looking at Harry. "How have you managed to get to King's Cross while you were living with those Muggles?"

"Well, I was either with Hagrid or the Weasleys," Harry replied, wondering on the question. "Why?" Harry asked simply.

"Nothing, merely curious. I've met your aunt and uncle, remember? They didn't exactly come across as the kind of people who would have willingly taken you to King's Cross when you needed to be there," Sirius said, shrugging as he resumed his breakfast. "Anyways, nothing to worry about." He glanced at the clock. "Blimey, Harry. We have to get moving soon. Can't believe the summer's over already. Can you?"

"Nah," Harry responded, polishing off his food. "It went by rather fast because I was always busy, I think." There was a general air of silence around them for the next hour or so until it was time for them to head for King's Cross.

"Got everything together, Harry?" Sirius asked, standing in the doorway and holding Hedwig's cage.

"I think so. I don't think I really took much of anything out of my trunk, to be honest," he replied, looking over his trunk one last time.

"Well, I wouldn't worry too much about it. If you do manage to forget something, we'll get it taken care of. We should probably get going so you don't miss the train," Sirius said, handing Hedwig's cage to Harry and taking the trunk instead.

Much to Harry's relief, they made it to Platform Nine and Three-Quarters with plenty of time to spare.

"Oi, Harry! Over here!" a voice called. Harry turned and saw a head of vivid red hair poking of an open train window. He waved enthusiastically at Ron and turned back to Sirius.

"I take it that's the compartment you want?" he asked automatically, heading towards Ron with Harry trailing behind. Together, they managed to load the trunk in and get it situated in an overhead rack.

"Hey, Ron," Harry greeted, smiling at his friend. "Have you seen Hermione or Leo?"

"No, haven't seen either. Saw Malfoy though, slimy git that he is," Ron grimaced. "He was with his dad, too." Sirius swore under his breath, snapping his fingers in a near miss.

"Well, so much for that train of thought," Sirius said, waving it off. "Dad still here, Ron?" Ron nodded. Sirius stepped out of the compartment, making his way towards Arthur and Molly. Harry glanced outside, watching the conversation but unable to hear it. He was unable to ponder on it much, however, when Hermione bounded onto the train practically beaming.

"What're you so happy for?" Ron asked, looking at her curiously.

"Honestly, Ron. You should know me. School's starting," she smiled, setting down her trunk and Crookshanks in his basket before bounding off once more to bid her parents goodbye. From somewhere near the front of the train, a whistle blew, signaling that departure would be occurring shortly. Harry glanced out the window and saw Sirius waving him out.

"Yeah?" he asked, standing before his godfather.

"The train's going to be leaving very soon. Figured I would bid goodbye for the day and see you at the feast. Sound fair?" Sirius said. Harry nodded. "Then I will see you tonight. Behave on the train," Sirius said strictly but winked at Harry all the same. He brought his godson into a quick hug before ushering him onto the train. The whistle blew once more and everyone leaned out of the window to bid their parents farewell for the year.

"You'll help us by watching over them, then?" Arthur asked, standing beside Sirius. "They say this tournament is the most dangerous thing ever."

"They'll be fine," Sirius assured before apparating to Hogsmeade.

Harry, Ron and Hermione all took a seat in their compartment, rehashing the Cup and talking about the summer before the Cup, something none of them had a chance to talk about the last time they met.

After two hours or so, Harry stood and made his way to the door of the compartment.

"Where are you heading, Harry?" Hermione said, setting down her copy of _The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 4_.

"I'm going to try and find Leo. He seemed a bit off when he left the Burrow and Grimmauld Place," Harry explained, stepping into the corridor. Hermione nodded, returning to her book while Ron shrugged and looked out the window at the heavily falling rain. Harry made his way through the train, looking into every compartment he passed. He came upon one where there a bit of commotion inside.

"What's she to you, Holmes? Your new girlfriend?" a sneering voice said. Harry looked inside to see Malfoy picking on Leo who was standing in front of a girl with long blonde hair. "Whatever happened to Granger?"

"Neither of them are my girlfriend," Leo shot back. "But they are my friends and you can leave them alone."

"Some Slytherin you are," Malfoy said, curling his lip slightly. "I don't know what kind of friend she could possibly be. But then again, when all you want to do is talk about yourself, she's be the perfect mate, wouldn't she?" Malfoy jeered, a small smile playing across his face.

"Shove off, Malfoy," Leo said, grabbing the girl's arm and walking away. Malfoy wasn't quite through yet. Even as they walked away, he still tried to throw insults at them.

"He doesn't bother me, Leo," the girl said in a dreamy far-away kind of voice. "Oh, hello," she said, noticing Harry still standing in the corridor.

"H-hello," Harry replied, stammering slightly.

"Hey, Harry," Leo greeted in a grumpy voice. "Malfoy's such a git, you know?"

"You should know better than anyone that's how he is, though," Harry said, shrugging his shoulders as they walked down the corridor. In the small silence that followed, the girl cleared her throat. It was clearly an invitation for Leo to introduce her.

"Right. Harry, this is Luna Lovegood. Luna, Harry Potter. She's a Ravenclaw," he said, motioning with his hand to each of them.

"Hello, Luna," Harry said, giving a small wave before turning his attention back to Leo. "Did you want to try and escape Malfoy for a bit by hanging with Ron and Hermione?" he asked, adding quickly, "Luna can join us as well, if she wants." They were now standing at the door of the compartment Harry had left earlier.

"Hello, Leo," Hermione said, waving through the open door. He returned the wave and glanced at Luna to see what she wanted to do. "Who's with you boys?" she asked, peering around them to see Luna.

"Oh, this is Luna Lovegood. She's one of Leo's friends and I ran into him defending her from Malfoy," Harry explained quickly. Luna glanced between the four of them before speaking.

"Oh, that's okay. I don't want to intrude," Luna said with a smile, ready to leave.

"Nonsense, an enemy of Malfoy is always welcomed here," Ron said with a smile a little too big on his face. Hermione glanced over at her friend, narrowing her eyes a bit.

"Um, okay," she said cheerfully, sitting down and pulling out a magazine called _The Quibbler_.

"So, Harry, since your godfather is going to be the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, you think he could cut us some slack in the homework department?" Ron asked, rather hopeful.

"I wouldn't count on it," Harry said with a slight smile, scratching the back of his head. "But thanks to Lupin using me as a guinea pig, I know pretty much everything we will be covering."

"Lucky dog," Leo grumbled, folding his arms as he looked at the door of their compartment.

"I can't believe Lupin would let Harry know everything," Hermione scoffed.

"I doubt he did, but still. That's going to be a lot of help if he doesn't change his plans too much," Ron grinned, seeing an opportunity.

"Boys," Hermione mumbled, shaking her head. "Luna, may I ask what a Riptortis is?" she asked, looking the _Quibbler_ headlines claiming that one had been spotted in Italy.

"Oh, it's a very small bug that sounds like a lion when it cries out," she answered. Hermione frowned, having heard of no such creature.

"Well, in a world full of magic, it wouldn't take much to create such a creature," Leo said, shrugging as he noticed Hermione's expression. She glanced over at him.

"Creating life is hardly something to scoff at," she snapped. Leo shrugged, not too bothered.

"Who said anything about breaking one of the first Wizarding Laws?" Leo asked. "It's so much easier to take something that already is and change it," he said, smiling as he spotted a housefly on the window. He raised his wand, pointing it at the fly with a small flick. At first, nothing happened. Everyone flinched when the bug suddenly gained the voice of a massive cat and used it.

"See, a simple transformation and we have our headline," Leo said with a smirk. "You've got to be a bit more creative than that, Granger," he said, a smug smile on his face.

"But it's still a fly," Hermione reminded, frowning.

"Yeah, but it doesn't sound like one, does it? If you turn a rat into a cup, is it a rat or a cup?" Leo asked, smirking as he clearly enjoyed the argument.

"It's a rat because that is what it was to begin with," Hermione said in an even tone.

"How do you know it wasn't turned from a cup first?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"That's not the point," Hermione sputtered out.

"What if magic made a fly sound like a fly so magic wouldn't be discovered by Muggles?" Leo asked. "What something is in the present has little to no effect as to what it is or what it will become. Especially when on wields a wand," he said, raising his wand and turning the fly into a feather.

"When – how?" Hermione started, glaring at him as she leaned back into her seat.

"Did you know butterbeer is really good for a sore throat?" Luna piped in. Everyone glanced at her, unsure of how to react to the statement.

"Leo, I think you're in big trouble, mate," Ron whispered at the Slytherin.

"Well, I have no issues. I like this kind of trouble," Leo replied with a grin. The few remaining hours on the Hogwarts Express passed with relative ease. Despite the disagreement between the Hermione and Leo, conversation remained fairly light. By the time the train began to slow, the entire group perked up, looking out the window and surprised that it was already dark out.

"Best get ready then," Leo said, standing to his feet and heading back to the compartment where his robes where still packed away. As they did every year, the trio made their way onto the platform to greet Hagrid before they ran for the carriages that would take them to the castle.

"Does anyone else feel a storm coming tonight?" Hermione asked, shutting the door of the carriage behind her. Harry and Ron shrugged, shaking their heads. Hermione glanced out the window and looked at the black sky above them. It almost looked like rain was going to start.

Sirius landed in the middle of Hogsmeade with a bit of a running start. He took a deep breath. The area was just as he remembered. "It's a nice day, not needing to turn into a dog to get around anymore," he said with a slight smile as he pulled out a pocket watch. "Remus, where are you?" he asked, frowning slightly as he put the watch away.

A door suddenly slammed open across the street. Sirius looked over to see a thin figure stepping out. He gave a slight smirk. "Well, you're the last person I expected to run into. I was waiting for a friend but he may have to wait a bit," Sirius said, reaching into his coat.

* * *

><p><strong>Oh, Leo. *shakes head* Why must you torment the girls so? And Sirius might be in a spot of trouble...<strong>

**I promise to get the next chapter up within the week but the suspense can be killer!  
><strong>

**~LE  
><strong>


	26. Announcements to Ideas

****Disclaimer: I do not own anything of this story. Harry Potter and all of the notable characters belong to J.K. Rowling.****

* * *

><p><span>Magnolia Crescent<span>

Chapter Twenty-Six

Announcements to Ideas

"Ron! I heard about your dad in the Daily Prophet! That's so cool, your dad's a hero!" Colin shouted, a happy grin on his face as he approached. Ron smiled broadly, very proud of that fact while Hermione glanced over at Harry.

"You're taking this very well. You and Sirius helped," she whispered. Harry shrugged, giving her a calm smile.

"In all honesty, Hermione, I have no need for fame. I got more than enough and I am happy for him. He gets the spotlight for a change," he said, truly happy for his friend. They headed up to the stairs when a sudden scream drew their attention upward.

"Peeves!" a few soaking wet students cried.

"Haha," Leo laughed at the poltergeist before a balloon flew straight at him. But it got intercepted.

"Hermione!" Leo and Harry cried together. The poor girl's bushy hair was now dripping with water. "I'm sorry, Hermione. I shouldn't have – Oh, I got just the spell," Leo said, hoping to remedy the situation. He pulled out his wand, but she simply raised her hand.

"Thanks, but no, thanks," she said as she pulled out her own wand. "_Unda absum_." In an instant, her hair was perfectly dry while a giant raindrop splashed onto the stairs.

"Peeves, don't make me call the headmaster!" Professor McGonagall threatened. The poltergeist tossed another balloon into the crowd before racing off in maniacal laughter.

"You're not mad at me, are you?" asked Leo, a little nervous as Hermione kept moving up the stairs. When she remained silent, he turned to Harry. "Is she mad?" he asked but Harry only shrugged. "She's your best friend, how could you not tell when she is ticked?"

"Well, she may be my best friend, but I am not very good at reading women," Harry admitted. Leo shook his in agreement. "Out of curiosity, do you really, you know, like her? I mean, like go out on a date and snog?" Harry asked. Leo blinked before his face began to brighten a bit.

"Well, um, she is, um, yeah. Yes," he finally said, nodding confidently. Leo looked inhumanly nervous as the other students walked around the pair.

"Hey guys, thanks for waiting. We really should get going. I hope they don't take too long sorting the new students, I'm starving," Ron said happily. Harry glanced back at Leo, who was already trying to make an escape.

"This conversation is not over," Harry replied in an even voice. "She is my best friend. I have faced down giant snakes and Voldemort himself. You hurt her and you will find out why I am still in one piece," Harry said, glaring at the Slytherin.

"Yeah, sure, no problem," Leo said as he quickly vanished into the crowd. Ron watched him go before looking at Harry.

"What was that all about?" Ron asked while Harry slapped him on the back.

"Nothing you need to worry about," Harry said. "Let's go, son of the hero. I'm hungry." He beamed as the two made their way to the great hall.

Harry looked up at the floating candles. The hall seemed a bit smaller than last year, he noted as he walked over to the Gryffindor table. It had been a while since he had watched a sorting; something had always prevented him from getting to the hall in time. He relaxed at the table, watching the new students get sorted into their respective houses. When he glanced up at the staff table, he noticed one of the chairs was empty.

"Harry, where is Sirius?" Hermione whispered from across the table.

"Sirius?" Neville asked, looking around nervously. "You've got to be kidding me. He's going to be the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher?" he all but shouted.

"Don't worry about it, Neville. He's a good man, just a little odd. I spent the summer with him and he is no Snape," Harry said, hoping to reassure his fellow Gryffindor.

"If you say so," he groaned, not seeming reassured but a bit calmer.

The last student was finally sorted into Hufflepuff and a few of the teachers glanced to the empty seat. Harry could almost make out the snide smirk on Professor Snape's face.

"Peeves!" a voice shouted from the back of the hall as the doors flung open. Everyone, student and teacher alike, looked to see Sirius Black, drenched from head to toe and looking like he had gotten dressed in a rush. Part of his collar was popped up, his clothing was undone and hardly buttoned properly. He brushed a bit of water off his face and adjusted his collar.

Harry blinked, unsure of what he was seeing, as Sirius walked down the hall, clearly doing his best to keep a straight face.

"And allow me to introduce this year's Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Sirius Black!" Dumbledore announced. Sirius nodded at Harry as he passed by. Harry watched him pass by before noticing that Snape was doing the oddest thing.

"Is Snape smiling?" Ron asked, looking over at Harry with the most concerned expression he had ever seen on his friends face. And sure as the sun, the hardened and stuffy potions master was doing his best to cover up a smile, even if it seemed to be a very small one.

There was a curt round of applause as Sirius took his seat next to Hagrid. Sirius about fell into the table when Hagrid gave him a pat on the back. Snape looked even scarier than he normally did.

"Oh, no. Snape is smiling," Neville pointed out, going as pale as a sheet.

"Ahem," Dumbledore cleared his throat, gaining everyone's attention. "I only have two words for you: tuck in," he said and the food magically appeared onto the table.

"Here, here," Ron and Harry chimed as they both filled their plates. Hermione picked at her food, seeming to be lost in thought.

"Something bothering you, Hermione?" Harry asked, noticing that her food wasn't leaving her plate.

"Just thinking about that house elf, it seems cruel," she noted.

"Don't jump into it, Hermione. If you want, I can have Dobby talk with you. He could tell you all about the house elf stuff," Harry offered.

"Master Harry rang?" Dobby said, appearing next to Harry.

"Oh, hi Dobby," Harry said, glancing over at the house elf before going back to his food.

"A house elf!" Fred and George exclaimed, echoing nearly everyone around them. Harry glanced back at the elf, standing under a tower of hats and socks.

"Harry, you didn't," Hermione said, frowning at him with a very disapproving expression on her face.

"No, he works here, Hermione. Gets paid and everything," Harry quickly explained.

"Yes, Dobby is very happy. I even got some new socks," the elf piped in, jumping up and down. Hermione just stared at him. "Dumbledore offers it all house elves but Dobby is the first to accept it," he beamed, squeaking a bit. In an instant, Hermione's face turned sour.

"You two," she said, pointing at both Harry and Dobby. "You're up to something and I'm going to find out what. But for now, I am going to be doing some research." Harry nodded at Dumbledore who was now standing up. "Oh, right. Announcements," she remembered. Harry stifled a laugh, glancing at one of his earliest friends.

"What's the matter, can't wait to get back to the library?" Harry asked, laughing a bit as the poor girl started to turn red, having pegged her so easily.

"Also, on another note, there will be no Quidditch cup this year," Dumbledore announced. Harry's jaw dropped but nothing came out.

"What!" the twins and Ron shouted, their voices echoing around the hall with the many other outraged students. Harry looked like someone had brought him a dog and then proceeded to kick it in front of him.

"Peace, there is a reason. For this year, Hogwarts will be hosting the Triwizard Tournament!" Dumbledore said.

"Yay," Harry said in an unenthusiastic tone. Hermione glanced over at him as he rested his face on his hand.

"Harry, what's wrong?"

"I was so looking forward to playing some Quidditch and now I will have next to nothing to really work at this year," Harry said, frowning as Dumbledore went on to explain the age limit. More groans could be heard but Harry didn't care as he wasn't interested in the tournament to begin with.

"You could always spend more time on your homework," Hermione offered, giving a weak smile. Harry shrugged.

"I guess," he replied. "Maybe they will still let me fly around on m broom if I ask nicely," he mused. A hand suddenly grabbed onto his shoulder and he turned to see Leo standing behind him.

"Hey Harry, since you look a little sad about Quidditch being canceled," Leo said with a Cheshire cat smile.

"What are you up to, Slytherin?" Ron said, glaring at him with a lot of suspicion.

"Well, since we can't beat each other up on the court, how about a dueling table?" Leo said with a sly smile.

Harry stared at Leo for a second before a massive grin appeared on his face. "I get what you are saying," he said as Hermione adopted a horrified look on her face.

"Barbarians, the both of you! I cannot believe you two are going to try and get that club open just so you can beat each other with sticks," she said, glaring at the two of them.

"So with your godfather as the new DADA teacher, do you want to give him a little visit after dinner?" Leo asked, smirking when nearly every male at the table had all but forgotten the age limit.

"So let me get this straight: you want me to supervise a dueling club so you can all beat each other over the head with sticks?" Sirius asked with a slight frown on his face.

"Finally, someone who sees the stupidity of it," Hermione said with a confident smile on her face as she folded her hands over her chest.

"She wasn't putting up this much of a protest when Lockhart was opening it," Ron whispered to Harry. But she caught the whisper and glared at the ginger.

"Sounds good to me," Sirius said with a smile while Leo fist pumped his victory.

"What? I am surrounded by idiots!" Hermione all but shouted as she slapped her forehead.

"You know you love it," Leo said with a grin that showed off a few too many teeth. Hermione glared hotly at him.

"You're next; you and that little idea in the pea brain of yours," she said, glaring at him as she stormed down the hall to get away from the boys.

"She is so hot when she gets angry," Leo said as he watched the witch storm off.

"Well then, I'll have to run this by Dumbledore, but all things considered, I shouldn't have too much trouble getting the club up and running," Sirius said.

"Do you think we can have a tournament or something at the end of the year?" Ron asked, his eyes going dreamy at the idea of a trophy.

"I think we can work something out," Sirius grinned, amused at the expression.

"You know, Harry, I would have thought you would be a little less excited about all this," Leo noted, glancing over at Harry. Harry glanced over at him, a little confused. "Well, with you being so well known for your skill. I mean, the troll in first year and all the other crazy things you have fought, I would imagine you would be a prime target for anyone who wants to brag about beating the boy who lived. I mean, I know I am looking forward to taking you down a peg or two," Leo said with a devilish smirk on his face.

Harry looked like he had swallowed something bitter. "Maybe this wasn't such a good idea," Harry said, gulping a bit.

"Too late for that," Sirius said as he walked down the hall. George and Fred both patted Harry on the back.

"Good luck, Harry. Hope you survive," George said with a smile.

"'Cause I got a feeling you got a big bull's-eye painted on the back of your robes," Fred continued as they both walked away from Harry.

"No trouble mate, I will be more than happy to help practice spells with you," Ron offered and Harry nodded.

"Well, this is going to be an interesting year," Harry said, starting to agree with Hermione. "I really do need to start listening to her more often."

Harry made his way to the shifting staircases as he caught up with Fred, George and Ron. "So, did anyone actually listen to the announcement on the tri-wizard tournament?" Ron asked while the twins smiled at their little brother.

"Nothing too major. Two new schools and an impartial judge," George said.

"Nothing you need to worry about," Fred finished, the two smiling a bit. Harry could almost see the wheels turning in their heads.

Dumbledore sighed as he sat down at his desk, unwrapping a lemon drop before popping it into his mouth. The gargoyle at the door started to shift, signaling that he had a guest. He glanced up to see Sirius striding into the room with a smile on his face.

"Good to see you high and dry," Dumbledore greeted. "Lemon drop?" he offered, pushing the small bowl forward.

"Yeah, sorry about being late. I ran into some complications on my way to the castle," Sirius said in an even tone. "That and Peeves decided to use me as target practice," he said with a shrug.

"No, I believe you. But did you have a reason for your visit?" Dumbledore asked.

"Yeah, an idea since you more or less canceled Quidditch. I was thinking of bringing back the Dueling Club. And maybe a tournament at the end of the year," Sirius said, pitching the idea.

"Well, I was a bit bummed that I had to cancel the wizarding world's favorite pastime. Alright, but on one condition: you have to have the other staff members involved," Dumbledore said with a smile.

"Sure, Professor Flitwick would be a great addition. I could have someone with his expertise, maybe McGonagall, they have a lot of knowledge and would be more than happy to get involved.

"I was thinking more along the lines of Professor Snape," the headmaster said with a slight twinkle in his eye.

"You really think that's such a good idea?" Sirius asked, frowning a bit.

"He is a house head, not to mention he was involved in the last dueling club as well," he observed.

"You are the headmaster, but I don't think this is such a good idea," Sirius said. But from the look on Dumbledore's face, he knew there was no winning. "Fine, only if I can include Remus, since he will be helping with my classes," he said, suddenly pointing his finger at the old wizard.

"Deal," Dumbledore said and they both shook hands. Sirius allowed himself a victory fist pump; he was going to enjoy his newfound time with Severus.

* * *

><p><strong>Well, this should be interesting... R&amp;R to let me know what you think as always! Promise to have the next chapter up within the week!<strong>

**~LE**


	27. Rumors

******Disclaimer: I do not own anything of this story. Harry Potter and all of the notable characters belong to J.K. Rowling.******

* * *

><p><span>Magnolia Crescent<span>

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Rumors

The dueling club room was just like Harry had remembered it; only not nearly as crowded since the heartthrob formerly known as Professor Lockhart was no longer involved. Not surprisingly, a lot of the male population had arrived, with only a few women. Harry recognized a few as Quidditch players. The familiar sound of feet on the table drew in the clamoring student body as Sirius cleared his throat.

"I would like to welcome you all. 'Would' being the key word since a lot of you will probably be leaving with a few more bruises than when you came in to the reopened Dueling Club," he said, smiling. Not too far away were Professors McGonagall, Flitwick, Snape, and surprisingly Sprout. Harry blinked; all four house heads were here. McGonagall hemmed at Sirius. "Not too many, if any at all," he quickly corrected, causing a few students to giggle.

"Now then, I see a few first and second years here. So how about a few demonstrations to get the blood flowing before we get into the boring stuff?" Sirius asked. "My associate and teacher's aid, Mr. Lupin, has so kindly agreed to volunteer."

"I have?" Lupin asked as the crowd turned to see the former teacher standing in the doorway. A few students gasped when they saw him, confusion flitting across their faces.

"I think not, since he is not on staff. It would be reckless to put him in harm's way. I think it would be much more suitable if Snape helped out, seeing as he was involved in the last club," McGonagall said with a small smirk.

"Sure," Sirius said a little too brightly. Snape didn't move for a second but he made his way to the table, the student body quickly parting to let him in.

"I don't think this is such a good idea," Lupin said in a low voice.

"Nonsense. If Snivellus wants me to mop the floor with his greasy hair, I got no issues," Sirius said, a confident smile gracing his lips. The students went dead silent, the footsteps echoing around the room as the two teachers squared off.

"Does your godfather have a death wish?" Neville asked, looking as pale as a sheet. Harry glanced over to see Professor McGonagall biting her lip, clearly regretting her decision.

"If Snape wasn't trouble before," Harry said, trailing off as he regretted ever mentioning the Dueling Club.

"Now then," Sirius said, narrating as the two went through the steps and they both turned. Spells started flying and they seemed to start an all-out war. A few of the students began to back away from the table. Scorch marks lined the walls as neither seemed able to land a hit on the other.

Harry watched as a wave of water as wide as the table suddenly appeared behind Sirius. The class gasped as Sirius flicked his wand and the bits of wood from the table moved to form a make shift shelter as the water passed over him. As the wood fell back into place, a lion's head appeared in the water, suddenly charging at the Slytherin head. But the water dissipated, not even wetting the tops of his shoes.

"It's amazing," a voice murmured. Harry felt his eyes go wide as he glanced over at the speaker.

"Who are you and what have you done with Hermione?" Harry asked, glancing over his friend.

"The way they are moving. If you watch them, you can tell the differences in their style of dueling. Yet neither one is superior; I honestly figured it would be about points and stature, but it seems that you really need to know your spells and how to move."

"Of course, just like with all sports, it takes quick thinking, strategy and good hand-eye coordination. But I can't help but hope that Sirius puts Snape on his arse," Ron said with a wicked smile.

The room was put into dead silence as the two teachers moved around each spell. Snape moving in relative grace, keeping his motions fluid, while Sirius had no issues moving back and forth, having a more jerkish spell casting style.

Time seemed to slow as Harry watched each spell they cast. "Wow, I really don't have the skill. If people like this is the norm, I need to start practicing as well."

"I am going to call this match a draw!" announced Professor Flitwick. The two teachers stopped moving but neither lowered their wands. The tension in the room was almost suffocating as the two men glared at each other. "As much as I am sure the students would like to watch, the point of the Dueling Club is to teach betterment," the short professor reminded.

"Right, now then. I think some new blood. Cedric Diggory, would you be so kind? And Cho, would you be so kind as to come up here? Since we have so many students and a bit more teachers than expected." Sirius clapped his hands together. "Why don't McGonagall, Flitwick and Snape each head over to one of the tables and start some disarming spell training. Outside of that, just be patient. Also, we are looking for top duelers since we won't be able to have a Quidditch tournament, well," he smiled. "We are going to be having a Dueling Tournament instead! So anyone interested, let us know and practice hard," he announced.

"I'll be taking first and second years over at this table. As well as anyone who needs a refresher course or has little experience at dueling!" McGonagall shouted over the growing din.

Not too surprisingly, most of the students branched off with their respected house heads and a bit spilt off, moving towards Sirius. "Looks like I get the older students. Good, well since most of you should know the basics, we are going to have a few mock duels and see where things go from there. Can I have a volunteer?" Harry scooted back a bit.

"I'll do it!" Leo's voice shouted, raising his hand as everyone glanced back at him while he pushed his way to the table.

"All right, who is next" Sirius asked and Ron instantly raised his hand. "All right students, we got ourselves a house grudge match. Slytherin in one corner, Gryffindor in the other. You know the drill, boys," he said, dropping off the table to keep an eye on both sides.

The mob around the table grew bigger and even a few teachers glanced over. Ron had a smirk on his face as he and Leo bowed to each other before walking to opposite ends of the table.

"_Langlock tongue_!" Ron shouted, taking the first move as Leo raised his wand.

"_Protego_!" Leo countered, unaffected by the spell. Ron frowned as he raised his wand again.

"_Petrificus totalus_!" Ron shouted again but Leo remained unaffected with his shield still high. The green clad students started to cheer. "Stupefy!" Ron shouted as he repeated the attack and a few red streams blasted as Leo, who was now grinning like a loon.

"Expelliarmus!" Leo shouted and Ron's wand flew across the table before he snatched it from the air. Ron glared at him as Leo dangled the wand out in front of him. His fellow Slytherins cheered as he took a bow and held out Ron's wand. Ron walked across the table to retrieve it.

"Who is next to face the great snake of Slytherin?" Leo asked, spinning around on the table.

"Harry, please. He's practically rubbing it in our faces," Ron said, glancing over at him and hoping that his friend would join the fight.

"Harry," Hermione chided, showing her dislike of the game they were playing.

"I'll take that challenge," Harry said, giving a light smile. "Merlin's beard, what have I gotten myself into?" he mumbled to himself, mentally screaming.

"Glad to see your godfather has been a good influence," Hermione muttered.

"What's the matter, Harry? You seem nervous; you took on Death Eaters and the Dark Lord three times. What do you have to worry about?" Leo asked, chuckling as Harry gave him a very forced smile. The two bowed.

"It feels weird doing this for sport. It's always been life or death for me," Harry explained as he stood upright.

"Just relax and try to have a little fun before I stomp you into the ground, Potter," Leo said with a confident smirk.

"Great, another Malfoy," Harry shot back, even though he felt himself enjoying it. They kept their distance.

"Stupefy!" Harry shouted as the red beam raced along the table. Leo sidestepped the magical attack, repeating Harry's words. The two streams shot back and forth.

"Protego!" Leo replied, stopping the red beam cold.

"Stupefy!" Harry shouted with enough force to break the shield charm and sending Leo onto the table. He was clearly surprised at the power behind the spell. The Gryffindors roared in approval and Harry felt a bit of swelling in his chest.

"Expelliarmus!" Leo shouted, ripping Harry's wand from his hand. It fell to the table floor causing Harry to dive for it. "Accio!" Leo cried out. Harry's wand flew across the table and into Leo's awaiting hand. Harry frowned as he looked at Leo. Putting his wand away, he tossed Harry his and adjusted his tie with a smug look on his face.

"Jerk," Ron frowned as, once again, Slytherin house cheered.

Leo held out his hand and Harry took it. "In a real fight, don't stop until the wand is destroyed or in your hand. That was very dangerous, letting me recover from the stunning spell. If the Quidditch Cup is anything to go by, you need to be more mindful," Leo said with a death glare. "I have heard some nasty rumors in the house as of late. I think you may want to hear about them," he added. Harry nodded dumbly as Leo released his grip, throwing his hands in the air. "Oh, yeah! Who's next on the chopping block? Hey, Hermione, how about a kiss to the winner?" he asked, winking at her.

"Excuse me?" Hermione cried. "You don't get to beat my friends up and then flirt with me!" she declared in a hot tone. She got up on the table and pointed a finger at him. "You don't get to throw my friends around and expect any affection from me. Let alone anything outside of my fist touching you, not even my lips!" she said hotly, quickly getting the attention of everyone in the room. She drew her own wand, now fully invested.

"Going to let a girl fight your battles for you?" Malfoy jeered. Harry ignored the comment, noticing that Leo didn't seem quite so confident anymore.

The two bowed as everyone watched them walk the length of the table and turn to face each other. The stunning spell was announced as Hermione and Leo shot the spell back at each other. Hermione flicked her wand; in an instant, all three stunners were deflected.

"Agumenti!" she cried as water spilled over the table. "Perfrigefacio!" she added, pointing her wand at the table. It quickly froze over as Leo sent another Stunning spell her way, only for her to quickly deflect them. Then, raining down Stunning spells, she quickly pinned Leo to his spot, forgetting that the ice had completely frozen the table over. "Petrificus totalus!" she announced.

"Protego!" Leo called, his shield stopping her spell. He took a step back only to slip and fall on his back. His wand fell from his hand for a second before racing to Hermione, a coy smile on her face.

"Yep, should have seen that one coming," Leo said, deciding to just lay there on his back. Ron cheered as he shook Harry in celebration. Sirius smirked a bit, dispelled the water as Leo picked himself up off the table. He walked over to Hermione as she handed him his wand.

She dropped off the table, clearly no longer interested in the Dueling Club. Leo got down as well, wincing a bit as he hit the ground.

"Looks like you may need to take a trip to the hospital wing. Could someone escort him?" Sirius asked. Harry raised his hand, eager to hear what Leo had to say.

Harry kept a close pace to Leo as he glanced back to see Snape staring at him. He shook his head as he walked out of the room. Leo instantly perked up, looking perfectly fine.

"Well, that was enlightening."

"You were faking it?" Harry asked with a frown.

"Slytherin," Leo reminded with a sideways glance. "I figured you would volunteer. Look, I need to let you know that something big is happening. I have heard some mumbling, most students think it's just rumors. But with the recent attack, I got the feeling that something big is going to happen this year."

"Yeah, well, it wouldn't be me if something wasn't happening here at Hogwarts," Harry reminded.

"I know, but I think you should keep an ear to the ground. You can't take everything at face value and if I were you, practice some combat spells," Leo advised.

"Do you know something?" Harry asked.

"No, nothing solid enough to put with a name or face. If I did, we wouldn't be having this conversation."

"Right, so rumors, huh?" Harry confirmed, glancing over at him.

"It's not much of a secret that Voldemort has strong ties with the Slytherin student body. But the weird thing is nobody is sure. I have been looking around a bit, but nobody knows where it's coming from."

"Well, what is the rumor?"

"Rebirth," Leo said. "It's been written in the dorm room, and small signs everywhere. But one could only see them if they looked hard enough. It's weird and unnerving."

"Right, learn some new spells, get stronger and keep an eye out. Why are you helping me?" Harry asked.

"I don't know, the opportunity came up," he admitted rather lamely. Harry turned to him and raised an eyebrow. "Alright, the greens got a bad rap. And I fell helping you would fix that. That, and I kind of like Hermione. So, you wouldn't mind telling her I am very sorry?" he asked, giving a very forced grin.

"I'll see what I can do. Anyway, we best get going. Aren't we supposed to go see the nurse?" Harry said.

"When did you grow a bloody sense of humor?" Leo asked with a smirk.

"You hang out with Sirius long enough and you tend to smart off a bit," Harry admitted rubbing the back of his shaggy head.

"Ahh, well then, I best get going. Try to keep your mind active, you seem to be a magnet for trouble and I need to learn some new spells," he told himself.

Harry nodded, rubbing his chin in thought. Signs, rebirth, not to mention his track record with big events. He admitted to himself that Leo's advice was sound, but how to act upon it?

* * *

><p><strong>Ooh, weird. Wonder what that could possibly be about? Next chapter should be up in about a week or two. But in the meantime, feel free to R&amp;R!<strong>

**~LE**


	28. The Curses Class

****Disclaimer: I do not own anything of this story. Harry Potter and all of the notable characters belong to J.K. Rowling.****

* * *

><p><span>Magnolia Crescent<span>

Chapter Twenty-Eight

The Curses Class

"Greeting, class. I am going to be your Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, year four," Sirius announced as he wrote his name on the board. "And this is my teacher's aid, Mr. Lupin," he said, raising a hand to Lupin who simply waved. A few students shied away from him. "And just to clear things up, he is taking his meds and will be taking time off during that time of the month," Sirius said, gaining a nervous chuckle from the class.

"Sirius," Lupin scowled, but he pretended to ignore him.

"And he is on my pay role. So, anyone wants to complain, take the third floor corridor and the door on the right hand side. He has three heads and a nasty disposition but you won't get much farther if you complain to the headmaster," Sirius said, eyeing a few of the Slytherins. "Now then, I have looked over the past events of this class and I am disappointed. So, I have taken the liberty of introducing to you three spells that will get you a one-way trip to Azkaban. Since each of you are now at the age where you can be tried as an adult, I feel it is a good idea to tell you what not to do so you don't get thrown in. Anyone care to tell me the names of these three curses?" he asked with a cheerful smile. Hermione raised her hand.

"The Unforgivable Curses," she answered. Sirius nodded as he wrote the name on the board.

"Good, and can you give me one, Miss Granger?"  
>"The Killing Curse," she said in a low tone. Sirius nodded as he wrote that down as well.<p>

"Right," he paused to take a deep breath. "This is going to be a heavy lecture so brace yourselves. Also, this is going to be the tone for most of my lessons. The Killing Curse, as such named, is a death sentence. Only one person has survived," he said, glancing at Harry for a moment. "And exactly how he did so, we are not sure. So it's recommended not to use this spell. Or if you see green, try not to stand still.

"Now then, on to the next curse. Can someone else tell me the next one?" Sirius asked. Harry raised his hand. "Yes?"

"The Imperius Curse," he answered as Sirius wrote it on the board below the other one.

"Yes, this one I can do a demonstration on." He moved to a jar on the table and pulled out a spider before pointing his wand at it and enlarging it. "_Imperio_," Sirius whispered. "Now this one is a bit tricky; it makes the one under the spell act at the will of the user. Now dance!" he shouted as the spider danced. It continued for a few more seconds until Sirius had it stop. "Now then, do I have any brave souls?" he asked, allowing the spider to crawl back into the jar. Nobody moved. "Surely someone here has some nerve. This is one of the only spells that can in face be fought off. It shows a strong will and a strong mind. Who wants to show off?" he asked, rephrasing the question.

Harry finally stood up. "Well, good to see the great house of Gryffindor still has its courageous few. _Imperio_! Now then, Harry, I want you to confess your undying love for Mr. Weasley." Ron went as white as a sheet and the rest of the class began laughing.

Harry stood straight as a board but didn't utter a sound. "No," he said sternly. Sirius nodded.

"Okay then, how about taking a seat?" Sirius asked, his wand still held out but Harry didn't move. He could feel a silent whisper telling him over and over to sit down. Each time, it sounded so tempting but he refused to move. "Very good. Normally, the simpler the request, the easier it is to get the target to comply. But as you can see, Mr. Potter has proven that two spells in the Unforgiving section have no effect on him." He pulled his wand away, leaving Harry to shake his head and sit down.

"So, any more brave souls? It's my hope that by the end of the semester, none of you will be able to be controlled. Now then, there is one more but I am not going to touch on it too much. I knew a couple who had a bad run in with the torture spell, good people," Sirius said, nodding as he walked behind his desk.

"This spell is called the Cruciatius Curse and it causes immense, enough to scar someone. Luckily, this is one of the harder spells to pull off, requiring full and unrelenting desire to cause another witch or wizard pain. Which is very uncommon in this day and age. Prolonged exposure can cause severe mental trauma and, like the Killing Curse, there is no known defense. Anyone caught can say goodbye to their freedom and let me tell you, it is not a nice place. In fact, one could call it a fate worse than death – take it from someone who has been there.

"Now then, back to class. I have a few things we need to get caught up on so I won't have time to explain every little thing. Anyone who has question or wishes to have a more 'hands-on' approach, feel free to see me after class. Or even better, show up at the Dueling Club," he said. "Now that the shameless plug has been placed, let's get on with class. Now then, the exact origin of the Killing Curse can be traced back to the middle ages. However, it's exact origins are unknown…." Sirius went on to explain the history behind the curses, taking care to avoid uncomfortable histories.

When the class was finally over, everyone hurried to shuffle out. Harry nodded at his godfather as he approached Neville, sitting down with him as Harry left.

"So now what?" Ron asked as the two headed off. They had the rest of the day to themselves.

"I think I am going to head to the library," Harry said, biting his lip. Ron raised an eyebrow at that. "What? I figure I should learn some dueling spells. Since I can't fly on my broom this year, I figure I can at least compete in the tournament."

"Well, if that's what you want to do, I'll be up in the common room if you want me," Ron said with a shrug. Harry watched his friend walk off. The student body moved around him as Harry simply stood there by himself. Shaking his head, he quickly left, brushing off a feeling of loneliness, and made his way to the library.

"_Expelliarmus_!" a voice shouted, causing Harry to stop. He took a few steps back and spotted someone he never thought he would see practicing.

"Neville?" Harry asked as the fellow Gryffindor practically leaped out of his skin. He walked into the room and realized it was the Dueling Club.

"Oh, hi, Harry," he said, recovering from the initial shock.

"What are you doing here?" Harry asked, a little confused. "I thought you were talking to Sirius, I mean, Professor Black," Harry said, not really used to calling his godfather by his last name.

"Um, well, he figured the discussion would be a bit uncomfortable so he gave me the key to the Dueling room. To blow off some steam," Neville said. "I ran here so I could practice. I plan on trying out for the tournament," he said with a lopsided smile. "I-I don't actually think I can win, especially if Hermione is in it. But I want to try," he said with a nod.

"If you don't mind me asking, why was he concerned?" Harry asked. Neville looked away, the smile quickly vanishing from his face. "Sorry," Harry hastily apologized. "I didn't mean to. Look, I'll just get going, if it's okay with you," he said, wanting to back out since he didn't know what he was doing.

"No, you don't have to go. It's just painful," he said, trying to force up a smile but doing a poor job.

"Well, if you don't want to talk about it, it's okay," Harry replied. "I am not used to asking about these kinds of things. Sorry if I insulted you," Harry said, rubbing the back of his head.

"Oh, no, nothing like that. It's just I am not used to people asking," Neville replied, not wanting to make Harry feel uncomfortable but doing a poor job of it.

"Yeah, I guess that's one advantage of being me; everyone kinds of knows about all my problems," he said with a nervous chuckle.

"Does it feel weird? Having everyone know about your past?"

"Most people don't talk about it and, to be honest, I have kind of gotten used to everyone knowing more than me," Harry replied with a shrug.

"Well, the thing is, my parents, they were hit with the Cruciatus Curse by two Death Eaters. They were tortured past their breaking points. Professor Black knew them so he censored out a bit of his lesson for me. Not that I mind, they were good people – heroes - but it makes me squirm whenever the curse is brought up," Neville admitted.

"Ah," Harry said, nodding his head. "That must be painful. If you want, we could practice a bit?" Harry offered, indicating the Dueling room. "Just randomly casting spells as a wall isn't much practice."

"Sure, I would love to. But you're probably a lot better than I am," Neville said as they walked onto the tables. "How about just the disarming spell?"

"Sounds good, the last thing we need is a trip to the nurse," Harry smirked as they both drew their wands. Both of them shouted over and over again, each time causing a wand to fly out of the other's hand.

Just as they were about to cast another spell, they stopped by the sound of sudden clapping. Startled, they turned to see the last person they had expected to find in the room.

"Professor Dumbledore!" Harry exclaimed as they stopped to greet their audience.

"Oh, don't stop on my account, Mr. Potter. Mr. Longbottom, so good to see you as well," Dumbledore said with a calm smile as he glanced between the two boys.

"Ah, hello Headmaster," Neville said in a quiet voice.

"I do hope time hasn't gotten away from you. I think it's almost lights out," he said with a light chuckle. Harry and Neville quickly realized how dark it was getting and were about to start running to their common room when Dumbledore spoke again.

"Mr. Potter, could I have a word before you go?"

"Sure Professor," he replied, glancing at Neville who nodded before he left. "What do you need?"

"I haven't had time to talk since last year. I have to admit it wasn't the best of circumstances. I want to apologize – I have a habit of wanting to stick to my plans a bit more than I should," Dumbledore apologized.

"Oh, I had forgotten, to be honest, Professor. All water under the bridge," Harry said with a nod. He seemed to smile a bit brighter.

"Good to hear. I see you are readying for the Dueling Club tournament. Ah, that brings back memories," he said but his smile didn't reach his eyes.

"Yeah, I really want to win but Hermione and Leo seem far too good," Harry admitted.

"Yes," Dumbledore chuckled, "there always seems to be someone better. But in the end, we all learn at our own pace. Just try not to get yourself into a situation where you need to use this newfound skill of dueling.

"Of course. It's all for self-defense and with the way things have been, I am going to need it," Harry admitted. Once again, the old man seemed to darken at that truth.

"Harry, you have been a brave young man – always being the first to run in and help others. Well, I shall not keep you any longer. Good luck with the tournament." And with that, the aged wizard had vanished from the room.

"How in the world he does that, I will never know," Harry scowled. "Must be a headmaster thing." He paused at the door when he noticed the keys were still in the lock. "Well, better get these back to Sirius. That wouldn't look good if he lost his keys," Harry thought aloud as he rushed back to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom.

"Sirius?" Harry called, raising his voice as he entered the room. "Sirius, I have the key to the Dueling Club. I figured you would want it back!" Harry called out. In the silence that followed, he could hear some rummaging around in the back room.

"Crap." He could hear some talking and muttering in a voice he recognized as his godfather. Sirius suddenly burst out of the door, his black hair obscuring his face in the dark of the room.

"Sirius, are you okay? You look a little messed up," Harry asked as he realized his godfather was unkempt once again.

"Fine," he coughed, his sounding a bit off for a second. "I was just surprised. I was getting some sleep when you woke me up," he admitted, pushing his hair back. "Can I have the key back? You should be heading back to your dorm soon," Sirius instructed.

"You okay?" Harry asked, eyeing his godfather. "You have been acting odd as of late."

"What makes you say that?" Sirius asked as he took the key.

"Little things, details that don't seem to fit. My guess is you're still adjusting to life as a teacher?"

"You have no idea, it is so stressful. Not to mention, Remus has made a habit of pointing out every little flaw I have made over the course of my last classes," Sirius said, a bit worn.

"Well, hey, if you need someone to talk to, you know you still got me," Harry offered. Sirius chuckled a bit.

"I thought I was supposed to be the guardian?" Sirius asked with a warm smile on his face. Harry smirked.

"I always figured a family would look out for each other, not just one person."

"A good outlook. Look, I got some things I need to take care of. And you are late getting back to your dorm," Sirius noted. Before Harry could say anything further, he opened the door and quickly slipped back inside.

"Well, that was odd," Harry said, vaguely remembering that he had the Marauder's map back in his room. "Nah, I couldn't do that to his privacy," he said, shaking his head. "Polyjuice – someone could be impersonating him, his voice was different. But it hasn't even been a year. I don't really know everything about him, let alone all of his quirks," he frowned. Harry continued to mutter to himself as he walked to the Gryffindor common room.

"Mrow," a cat cried out and Harry froze. His eyes shifted to the side and he saw something he never wanted to see. Mrs. Norris, Filch's cat, was walking up to him. Harry reached back on instinct but soon realized that he didn't have his invisibility cloak.

"Who's there?" Flich cried out. Harry felt a bit of panic rise in his stomach.

"Crap, I don't – " He was cut off when someone grabbed his shoulder. He was suddenly pulled away just as Filch walked into view.

"I know you're in here – a student out of bed," the old man croaked, looking around a bit but he didn't seem to see Harry. He glanced down as Mrs. Norris walked back into his hand. "We'll get 'em next time, my sweet," he muttered to the cat.

Harry glanced back to see his rescuer and spotted a head of blonde hair. "Luna, what are you doing here?" he asked, recognizing the odd Ravenclaw.

"Oh, just enjoying the view. Nothing strikes me as amazing like the sight of Hogwarts in the moonlight," she said smiling.

"Don't you think it's a bad idea?" Harry asked, looking back at where Filch had come in.

"I think it's worth the risk. Haven't you ever admired the school in the dark?" Luna asked.

"Not really, guess I never thought about it," Harry admitted.

"Sometimes you need to stop and admire things. Oh, come here. I need to show you something," she said suddenly, grabbing his hand and dragging him off.

"Wow," he admitted, glancing over the lake outside of the school and the moon reflecting off the water. "I never really did think about it."

"Did you know a muggle designed this place?" Luna asked as Harry glanced over at her. "It's a little obscure but the set-up was made by a muggle woman, someone called Rowling. The founder, Godric, took the idea and used it for a school. Most call it a rumor but stranger things have happened," Luna explained.

Harry nodded, not commenting as he looked at the water. "Well, I need to get some sleep. Do you do this every night?"

"Yeah, it's so nice to walk around without anyone to obscure my view," she admitted. Harry smirked at her.

"Well, maybe I'll join you some other time. Hey, are you going to be in the Dueling Club?" he asked. Luna glanced up at the moon for a brief second before giving a light shrug.

"Sure," she said with a bright smile. Harry swallowed a lump in his throat. He had a bad feeling all of a sudden. "I figure it would be a good opportunity to throw another wrench into the structure."

* * *

><p><strong>So, Hogwarts has more than <em>one<em> rule-breaking student? Just what is going to happen?**

**Next chapter will be up soon, promise!**

**~LE**


	29. The Tournament Begins

****Disclaimer: I do not own anything of this story. Harry Potter and all of the notable characters belong to J.K. Rowling.****

* * *

><p><span>Magnolia Crescent<span>

Chapter Twenty-Nine

The Tournament Begins

"Okay, everyone, simmer down," Sirius said as he held out his hands out to the student body involved with the Dueling Club. "Now then, we have gotten a fair amount of students ready and involved in the Dueling Club. I would like to announce our first Hogwarts Dueling Tournament. We've got a lot of students and I figure we can have some fun with this." Sirius clapped his hands together with a smile on his face. "We have too many students here for a proper one-on-one tournament. So, in order to make this a bit more fair, we're going to have a three month season. Each student will be put into small teams and they will be made up of five students, no more and no less. Every Sunday we will have four teams, two against two, with Professor Snape, Flitwick and myself judging. We'll tally up points and the twelve teams with the highest number of victories will go on to the playoffs. That will be school hosted with a nice gold cup to the winner."

"What?" a few students exclaimed, confusion written on their faces.

"Ah, and here is the kicker: once the playoffs start, it's every witch and wizard for themselves. We already have everything worked out, but we will explain the rules when we get there. As a side note, the person chosen to enter the Triwizard tournament will have to give up his spot – as the staff consider it too much for one student to take on for a seventh year. So, anyone whose planning on trying out, make sure you have a backup plan," Sirius advised. "Now, feel free to choose your teams and names. Meet up with me or one of the other teachers to get registered."

"Harry, you and me," Ron said, quickly grabbing his shoulders. "We got to get Hermione as well – that is a must. So who to ask?"

"Count me in," Leo said, appearing behind the two students. Ron opened his mouth but Harry cut him off.

"Alright, let's head to the library," Harry said with a nod as the other two looked at each other. "If we need to find Hermione, it's a safe bet she is in the library, the Great Hall or the dorm. And I got a feeling the library is the best place to start," he surmised.

"Sounds like a safe bet to me. But I am going to see if I can find someone else, to um, you know, join up. Have fun with Hermione," Leo said, grinning nervously.

"Where are you going? Don't tell me you're scared of her," Ron said with a sly smile on his face.

"No, no," he repeated. "Whatever would give you that idea?" His smile bent a little more. "I haven't apologized; she seemed rather sore with me. And I don't like to apologize in front of other people," he said as he showed his teeth in a very large grin.

"You are such a chicken," Ron commented as Harry glanced between them.

"Look, it would be uncomfortable. I would rather talk to her without the loud-mouthed ginger making comments in the background."  
>"It has nothing to do with the fact that she kicked your arse?" Ron said with a smug smile.<p>

"You know, I can't remember. I do remember mopping the floor with a loud-mouthed ginger," Leo said as he smirked back.

"Beginner's luck. I'll take you on, right here, right now!" Ron challenged.

"I am starting to regret my decision," Harry muttered to himself. "Teaming up with Malfoy would be less of a headache," he thought to himself as he shoved his hands in his pocket and left to find Hermione. Even if she didn't join, she could bring some order to the group.

Ignoring the two behind him, Harry headed to the library, his mind going over other people who could join. "Dean, Seamus, not to mention Ron's older brothers. Luna and Neville would be welcome as well – even if Luna seemed to just watch instead of practicing. Seamus was good and Harry had seen him hold his own.

"Hey Harry, I think we should talk to Seamus after Hermione – he's pretty good," Ron advised. "Or both my brothers – I know they're really good."

"All good points," Leo admitted. "Not to mention, they will have a bit more knowledge, being upper classmen and all."

"Then again, I would kind of rather not, they can be hard to work with. Not to mention, they will undoubtedly pick on me," Ron said. Harry soon blocked out Ron's musings; he would be happy enough just to compete alongside his friends. Normally, the three would just hang out. They wouldn't be doing much unless Harry's life was on the line or some other big event came up. It would be a nice change of pace. Since Hermione always seemed to be on the sidelines, unless…. Harry caught himself at that thought.

Harry opened up the door to the library, spotting a few students and staff walking around. Giving a quick glance over, he spotted Hermione next to her standard pile of book. He grinned and made his way over to her table.

"Leo," she said in a low whisper, looking up at the third man. He gave a nervous grin.

"Hermione, they just announced the Dueling tournament and we need teams," Harry started as Hermione glanced at him. She closed her book before clasping her hands together.

"I am not interested. I meant what I said – I want no part in it. Especially knowing all the braggarts that are going to be running around." Leo rubbed the back of his head as he glanced away.

"Please, Hermione, we could really use your help. You would be one of the best witches to have on the team," Ron pleaded. Hermione reopened her book.

"Please, Ron. I have a lot of homework and I don't feel like spending what little free time I have to play in this competition," she answered as the door slammed shut.

"But – ," Ron said, only for Leo to put a hand on his shoulder.

"Stop badgering her. We have people to see and we can't waste time," Leo advised. He glanced at Hermione. "I am sorry about that; my behavior was uncalled for when I was dueling your friends."

"Apology accepted," Hermione said with a kind smile. Leo nodded and led Ron out of the library. "Harry, you've got another thing coming," she said since he hadn't moved yet.

"Not that. Hermione, I wanted to say thanks," he admitted, giving her pause. "You've done a lot – more than anyone has a right to ask of another person. If it weren't for you, well, lots of things wouldn't have happened. Between the last three years, a lot of things would have fallen apart. And I don't think I ever told you how much I appreciate it. So thanks for being there, Hermione, even if you didn't always want to be. After all, we could have gotten you expelled," he said, giving her a smile. He turned to leave, patting her shoulder as he did so.

Hermione watched him walk out of the library. "Damn you, Potter," she growled, slamming her book shut again and racing out of the library.

"Hermione?" Harry asked, a bit confused when she caught up with them. The other two glanced at him for a moment. He shrugged as Hermione stopped.

"Fine, I am in," she said. "But you are on thin ice, all of you," she added, pointing her finger at each of them in turn. "Especially you." She pointed at Harry who was still confused. "Now, if I am in, I want one more female on the team."

"Aw, but I was going to ask Seamus," Ron groaned causing Hermione to frown. He grumbled, glancing over at Leo as a smile appeared on his face. "I know just the girl." The others exchanged a glance.

"So, Luna, are you in?" Harry asked with an amused smile on his face.

"Sure, it could be a nice change of pace. That and to look for some wibbleworths." The group glanced at each other. "They are little three legged creatures that feed off anxiety. They're often found around competitions. I would have checked the locker rooms at Quidditch time but they never let me."

"I never," Hermione started only to pause when a fly passed by. She shifted a bit, moving behind Harry even as he shot her a confused look.

"Well, guess we got a team. Any name ideas?" Harry asked. Everyone just kind of stared at each other. "How Dumbledore's Army?" We have a rep from nearly every school house, sounds cool and I guess it's kind of intimidating," Harry said. Everyone else just shrugged it off.

"Maybe, but team Dumbledore's Army just doesn't have a ring to it," Leo said, rubbing the back of his head. "Maybe we should base it off a magical creature?"

"Phoenixes!" Luna shouted, tossing her fist over her head.

"That will work," Harry said, thinking back to Year Two. "Well, Ron, let's go get signed up," Harry said with a nod. "Maybe we should get some practice in as well," he offered.

"Good idea, I'll set up a weekly meeting. I am going to need everyone's classes and days so we can all meet up as often as possible," Ron said, slamming his fist into his palm. Harry and Hermione both looked at him.

"Who are you and what have you done with Ron?" Harry asked, a slight smirk on his face.

"Hey, this is important," Ron said with a nod as he raced off to secure their spot.

"One wonders how good his grades would be if he was this attentive at his homework," Hermione mused. Harry just shook his head.

"Well, we got time, I think I'll – ," Leo started.

"I don't think so. We need to get to the library; if we are going to do this, we are going to do it right. Not to mention, it would be the perfect opportunity to get some homework done," Hermione interjected.

"I am good. I got my homework done a week in advance just in case something came up," Leo said.

"Good, then you can help Harry," Hermione said, grabbing both boys by the elbow. "You as well." She dragged them back to the library, Luna skipping along after them with a lazy smile on her face.

"Well, this is interesting," Snape said, looking over the five.

"Hi, Professor Snape," Luna said, waving at him. Sirius smirked, seeming to take some pride in Snape's comment.

"We would like to register a team," Ron declared.

"I have to admit, I didn't think Potter's fame was capable of influencing even someone from my house," Snape said as he eyed Leo.

"What can I say? I am ambitious," he shrugged. Harry glanced between the two, only to notice that Leo was now looking at Hermione instead.

"Don't go there. It won't do you any good," Snape advised. Even Sirius glanced at him with a bit of confusion. "Here you are. You made it just in time; we were just getting ready to pack up. We have a lot of teams so expect the first match ups to take place in the next meeting. For those ready of course." And with that, Snape got up and walked away.

"Is it just me or does he seem a bit more somber?" Leo asked. "Just me, huh? Being around him enough, I guess it tends to stick out. But I think something's bothering him."

"Well, hmm," Sirius said, seeming to notice something on the table. He picked up a piece of parchment. "Well, better make sure Snape gets this. Good luck, but remember, no favoritism," he said as he winked at them.

"Like we would need it. Please, we got this in the bag," Leo said with a confident smirk. Hermione pushed them back out the door. "Well, time to go study and all that fun stuff," Leo said, his words dripping with sarcasm.

Sirius watched them walk out of the room, grade sheet in his hand. When they had left, he folded it up and, with a light tap with his wand, the parchment went sailing after the Potions master. After all was said and done, he left the room and headed down the hall, the throng of students moving aside.

"Remus, I need you to do me a favor," Sirius said when he found his old friend.

"Sure, what is it?" Lupin asked.

"Take the fireplace back to my house. I want you to pick up some practice notes on potions. Something is bugging me," he said with a frown as he sat at his desk. "I don't want to work you too much but I need these for a problem that's come up and I need to check my facts." Lupin frowned but didn't anything as he moved to the fireplace.

"So, are you going to need your office to yourself tonight?" he asked.

"Not tonight, but don't be surprised if I'm not here when you get back. Take your time," Sirius said with a light wave. Lupin frowned at the comment but said nothing as he vanished from sight.

"Time to pay a little visit to the potion's cupboard," Sirius said with a smirk. "And maybe something to drink as well. I feel a bit dry," he said, licking his lips.

* * *

><p><strong>So we have our rules and a very reluctant Hermione. Hmm, I wonder how this is going to turn out? And Sirius is quirking again... Just what is that man up to? Keep checking and we'll keep ya posted!<strong>

**~LE**


	30. The Triwizard TournamentUnwanted Guests

****Disclaimer: I do not own anything of this story. Harry Potter and all of the notable characters belong to J.K. Rowling.****

* * *

><p><span>Magnolia Crescent<span>

Chapter Thirty

The Triwizard Tournament and Unwanted Guests

"Ron, Ron, Ron!" Harry shouted. Ron suddenly snapped to attention and glanced at his friend. Harry glanced back at the table where the two students continued to shoot stunning spells at each other. "Hey Ron, no need to look so pale. We can take them," Harry said, patting him on the back.

"It's not that," Ron said, tapping his feet on the floor. "I'm just nervous. I've finally got a chance to really outshine my brothers and I don't want it to slip by," he said, staring forward.

"We got a lot of time before you've got to start worrying about me in the arena," Harry said with a smirk.

"Oh, I know we are going to win," he said, glancing down. "I don't want to choke is all," Ron admitted before Harry slapped him on the back.

"We got this. Besides, with all the extra work Hermione put us through, we should have no trouble," Harry said with a smile. "Not to mention, I helped take on full grown Death Eaters, a giant snake and two different dark lords. I very much doubt, win or lose, this will be too big of a deal for me." He glanced over a Ron. _But, this is his big moment. I can't let him down,_ Harry thought to himself as his resolve hardened.

"And there you are, Salazar's Core has done a clean sweep," Sirius announced as the Slytherin upperclassmen walked off the table. "Next up, it is the Phoenixes vs. the Raven's Claw," he said as Harry and the others stood up.

"Well, I wonder what house they came from?" Leo asked, rolling his eyes. Harry glanced over them; low and behold, everyone was sporting the colors of blue and bronze. He paused when he recognized one of the duelists.

"Cho Chang," Harry whispered, a warm feeling spreading in his gut. Cho Chang, the Ravenclaw Seeker. He quickly hid in the line behind Leo. The Slytherin glanced back at him with a confused look but didn't say anything.

"Alright, who will be up first?" Sirius asked. Ron took a step forward as did another student. The rest fell back to their respected side of the table. "Alright, you know the rules. Three shots to win, you lose a bout if you lose your wand or get knocked off the table or off your feet. No lethal force, you may proceed when ready." With that, Sirius hopped off the table as the two students began with the traditional bowing.

"Stupify!" the Raveclaw shouted, casting the red stream over at Ron. He sidestepped, tossing his own Stunning spell in return. Harry glanced over at Cho, ignoring the duel his friend was participating in.

"So, you think she's cute?" Leo asked, glancing at Harry out of the corner of his eye.

"No," Harry denied, his face turning red.

"Ah, have to admit, nice choice – she looks good. If you want, I'll be your wingman and you can ask her to Hogsmead. Go out for some butterbeer, get to know her," he said, elbowing Harry in the ribs.

"Point to Terry Boot," Sirius announced. Harry and Leo both glanced back to see Ron getting back up.

"Don't give up, Ron. It's not about first point, it's about getting the last one!" Leo shouted.

"Come on, Ron, don't let him knock you around! Stay on your feet!" Harry shouted in support of his friend.

"You can do it, Ron!" Hermione added, jumping up and down, hair bobbing with her. Leo suddenly got a dumb look on his face. Harry glanced over to see he was staring at Hermione. Harry elbowed him back.

"What?" Leo said, glancing at Harry.

"My friend, don't even think about it," he said with a low voice.

"She's also very smart, cute and powerful," he said with a coy grin on his face. Harry frowned at him.

"I've taken on a Basilisk. You break her heart, you won't live to see the end of the week," Harry said in a very cold tone.

"Noted," Leo said, gulping a bit. They turned their attention back to the duel as Ron got another point. "So, does that mean I can ask her out?" Leo asked. Harry didn't reply. "Harry?"

"Harry, you're up," Ron said with a confident grin, having gotten the first point.

"Harry, you didn't answer my question," Leo called as Harry walked up onto the table. Harry faced the Ravenclaw. He had blonde hair and a bit of a height advantage. They both bowed.

"You know, after that Slytherin took you down, I got a feeling you're not as tough as your make you out to be," he said in a calm tone. He didn't seem like he was trying to insult him but Harry felt a bit of a burn fill his chest.

"Rumors normally have a grain of truth to them. Let's see what you got," Harry said, now dedicated to dueling this fellow student.

"Stu – " the student announced, only for Harry to cut him off.

"Expelliarmus!" Harry shouted, and the student's wand went flying. The room went quiet as the wand hit the back end of the table.

"Point to Potter," Sirius announced. The blonde student retrieved his wand and they drew again; but the result was the same. "Point Potter." The fell to the ground. "Point to Potter," Sirius said as both the student and the wand fell. Harry slipped his wand back into his robe as he walked over to the student and offered him a hand.

"Guess you showed me," he said as he took Harry's hand and allowed him to pull him up. Harry held on for a second.

"You weren't wrong either. But I have been getting some good help this past year," he said before he released him and walked away. Harry got a congratulations all around.

"Hermione, you're up," Harry said. Hermione nodded as she walked onto the stage, only to face Cho Chang.

"Talk about mixed emotions," Harry thought to himself.

"Okay boys, let's sit back and watch the cat fight," Leo said, smirking. Ron chuckled at the comment and Hermione glared at him. Ron gulped a bit, smirking nervously.

"Care to explain?" Leo asked, looking at Ron and Harry. Both quickly shook their heads. "Okay, well, I am just going to sit back and enjoy the show. Even if we don't win, this is time well spent," he said with a smile.

"Huh?" Harry asked, glancing over. All he saw was Cho and Hermione. Well, Hermione wasn't facing them, but he could see Cho.

"She has a nice tail, wouldn't you say?"

"Tail?" Harry asked, a bit too loud. Hermione must have heard something for she spun around. She turned to face Cho, only to get knocked face first into the ground. She skidded along the table as quite a few people winced. A few Slytherins even began to laugh.

"Hermione, are you okay?" Harry asked, pushing through the crowd.

"You need to shut up, no talking," Hermione hissed. "And I am dealing with you later," she said, pointing at Leo. He swallowed as she grabbed her wand and stood back up.

"Good luck, mate," Ron said, patting Leo on the back. Leo rubbed the back of his neck, a little bit nervous. Hermione stood up and Cho was put down. "Good thing there is no Quidditch ths season," Ron said as Sirius announced a five minuter intermission. It officially solidified Hermione as one of the scariest witches in the school.

"Poor Cho, I don't think Hermione had to be so hard on her," Harry said.

"She certainly sent a message, intentional or otherwise," Leo said, looking over at Malfoy, who was sweating a bit more than usual. "Worth it," he said with a confident smile.

**A few weeks later in October….**

Harry shifted a bit, glancing over at the Slytherin table. Viktor Krum was sitting over there and, not too surprisingly, Leo was as far away from him as possible. He glanced to the back of the room and saw a man George had called Mad-Eye Moody. He chuckled to himself when he remembered how strange the day had been thus far. The students from Durmstrang and Beauxbatons, only a handful each, had arrived with a bang and a flourish, respectively. Shortly after that, a massive thunderstorm had arrived within seconds. The only thing that had stopped the rising panic was Mad-Eye Moody casting a spell at the ceiling. It had certainly garnered everyone's attention, that much was certain.

"Odd, from what I've read, the Triwizard Tournament doesn't normally have ex-Aurors around," Hermione said with a frown, pulling Harry from his thoughts. But Moody wasn't the only thing that was odd – even the Minister of Magic was present, with a bit of a grin on his face.

"Maybe it's to keep an eye on cheating or to keep underage wizards from getting involved," Neville suggested, causing Ron to shrug his shoulders. The four of them glanced down the table at the twins.

"So, as I was saying," Dumbledore said with a chuckle as he caught the Hall's attention again. "The Triwizard Tournament. You've already met your competing schools and for a lucky few of you, they shall be joining certain classes. It should be a wonderful learning experience for all." Dumbledore paused, looking at the doors with great interest. Everyone in the Great Hall followed his gaze and soon they heard something very strange.

"Is that music?" Ron asked, looking at Hermione in confusion. For once, she shrugged, unable to provide an answer. Ron was right, however. From beyond the doors, music was indeed playing. A sort of fanfare, and if Harry wasn't mistaken, it sounded very American. Out of nowhere, the doors burst open to reveal a tall and broad man with brown hair and draped in a cape made to look like an American flag. On his outstretched arm, a bald eagle sat perched, looking sharply around at the students. Behind him, a dozen and a half students trailed with nervous looks on their faces. Some were clearly younger than Harry. Without warning, the bird took off from the man's arm, flying up around the floating candles and alighting a nearby window ledge.

"DUMBLEDORE!" the man shouted excitedly, making his way to the teacher's table.

"Who is that?" Harry asked, watching the man with interest. As they watched, the man embraced the Headmaster, but he clearly wasn't as enthusiastic about returning the hug.

"Brom?" Dumbledore asked, actually taken aback.

"If I'm not mistaken, I think that's Headmaster Brom of the Salem Witches Institute," Hermione offered uncertainly. "But what's he doing here? He almost never crosses the ocean." Harry glanced up at Sirius and was surprised to see him stifling laughter with his head against the table.

"You old hound, so good to see you. Heard you were having a bit of a party. I must have lost my invitation," Brom said with a bright award-winning smile on his face. A quick count showed that there were about fifteen students with Brom; a few of them were actually shaking their heads.

Dumbledore glanced around to see Fudge grinning like a loon as Brom stood there and rambled.

"Still growing out the beard, huh?" he asked, shaking Dumbledore around before releasing him.

"What iz the meaning of tis? I was informed of only three schools, hence the name of the tournament," Madam Maxime asked, not too thrilled with his appearance either.

"Well, you see, our new school wasn't around during the original run. So, when I heard from a good friend of mine – who came for a visit – well, I just couldn't pass up at least trying to get involved," he said with a smile.

"Does he even have permission? This American had no right here!" Igor Karkaroff demanded.

"We've already got everything figured out. The Minister of Magic, Mr. Fudge, was kind enough to allow us in," Brom said smugly, glancing back at his students. "Besides, do you honestly think I'd let you have all the fun?"

"Well, of course Brom. If the Minster and the Games Master have allowed it, I have no issues," Dumbledore said, inclining his head ever so slightly.

"Fantastic, it has been so long since my last visit. We have a lot of catching up to do."

"Any particular reason you have so many students who are not of the proper age?" Maxime asked, looking over the group of students. Quite a few of them looked uncomfortable while the others seemed to have their chests puffed out.

"The American didn't do his research before he brought his students over the pond," Karkaroff said, laughing.

"Hardly, I brought a few extras along, namely because they were very interesting in going. Think of it like travelling abroad; after all, this opportunity doesn't come often, especially those in the off months. So I figured to bring a few along. Besides, the American wasn't informed because the Europeans decided any information regarding a public event needed to be hushed," he said, the smile never leaving his lips even as he glared mockingly at Karkaroff.

"Indeed," Dumbledore said in a dry tone. "Hagrid, could you get another chair for us up here? Care to share who informed you about the upcoming event?"

"I had a very nice visit from an old student of mine, Sirius! Going to be honest, I have more than one reason for coming here. As a wizard who prides himself on Animagi studies, my student brought up an interesting bit of information. If at all possible, I would like to speak with a Mr. Harry Potter," Brom said with a calm smile on his face.

Dumbledore glanced over at Sirius, who slipped lower in his seat. "Well, I guess it is up to Mr. Potter. Feel free to talk with him after we get the announcements out of the way. And as for your students, they are free to sit where they please."

"Hold on a second," Karkaroff demanded, sending a glower at Dumbledore and Sirius. "How did Black know about the tournament?"

Sirius snorted as he set down his goblet. "You would not _believe_ how loose Fudge's tongue can be at times," he said, raising his eyebrow. Harry could see that his grin was uncomfortable no matter how joking he sounded.

Harry fell into silence as the American students moved to the opposite side of the hall, heading to the Hufflepuff table. He glanced up as Brom took a seat next to Dumbledore. The man was looking down at him with a slight smile.

"I wonder how much he actually knows. I wonder if he knows why I turned into a snake that night," Harry calmly murmured, more to himself than anything. When he again beheld the Goblet, it was lit and it wasn't long until the upperclassmen began to approach and deposit their names.

"Excuse me, Mr. Potter?" Harry froze as his friends leapt in surprise. Brom was standing behind him, his hand hidden behind his back.

"Yes, Mr….?" Harry trailed off, unsure of how to address him.

"Brom is fine. I wish to speak with you. Your godfather had informed me of an interesting situation in terms of transformation."

"Oh, um, so I take it, he brought it up?" Harry asked, glancing down. Brom frowned as he rubbed his beard.

"I asked Dumbledore to lend us a room. It seems you're not too keen on your second animal," he said, a bit of mirth in his voice. Harry frowned. "If you want, your godfather or a friend can sit with us. I figure talking to a relative stranger would be a bit jarring."

"You have no idea. First year, everyone knew about me, except me," Harry said with a smirk.

"Well, if it helps, I am here because you have dual animals. Let's see if we can find an explanation for this and maybe make a legend."

"Legend?" Harry asked.

"Follow me. What's one more, young wizard?" Brom said as he smiled. "Legend tells that a wizard will one day gain the ability to change into more than one animal. And maybe, even all of them."

"I never heard of that legend," Harry dejected.

"I had a feeling you wouldn't. Britain was never big on Animagus transformations. In America, they are given a bit more breathing room, so it's a bit more common to hear legends and stories about them."

"Really? Sounds farfetched since more transformations are personality in nature," Harry replied. Brom nodded in agreement.

"Well, here we are," he opened up a door and there was fine fireplace with a pair of chairs and a bowl of chocolate balls in between them. "Please, take a seat. Dumbledore should be with us shortly; I don't think he likes the idea of me stealing you," he said with a smile.

"What makes you think he thinks that?" Harry asked.

"I was always more fun to be around. Anyway, tell me about the snake transformation – compared to when you normally transform."

"Well, when I turn into the dog, it takes a bit of time. I am still getting used to it. But it feels right, even if I struggle with doing anything faster than a jog," Harry admitted.

"That's normal. In fact, it took your dad about five weeks before he could even walk straight. A charismatic man, but not all that bright when it came to magic."

"Hey, that's my dad you're talking about," Harry growled, glaring at Brom. The man simply chuckled a bit as his shoulder shook.

"Nothing against him; he was a great man. I have to respect him for nothing else but how he lived his final days with his family. But he was one of the more challenging students. Sirius and Peter picked up the basics well enough, but for all his talk, your father was not one of the best wizards. I think he would have been a better business man or politician than a wizard on the front lines. That credit goes to your mother."

"You knew my mom?" Harry asked but Brom shook his head.

"Hardly, your father was almost always talking about her. So, I got a pretty good idea about her," Brom said with a chuckle. "Ah, young love. It was a tragedy, what happened to them both. I just wish the British government would ask for some help every once in a while."

"Help? What do you mean?"

"That is a history lesson and we are way off topic. Back to the transformations," Brom said with an amused smirk on his face.

"Right, um, as for the snake, it just worked. I picked up on it instantly, like instinct. I could see the way I was supposed to; it was nothing like when I was a dog," Harry explained, lowering his head a bit.

"Fascinating," Brom said, the smile finally vanishing from his lips. "It doesn't take a headmaster to see your issue with this."

"What do you mean?" Harry asked cautiously.

"It's something I have expected, to be honest. I think the problem lies not with the snake, but with how quickly you see to have adapted and what it represents to you," he admitted, grabbing a chocolate.

"Voldemort," Harry nodded.

"Harry, the snake is nothing to worry about and no amount of talking will ever make it clear to you from me. Maybe not even Sirius or Dumbledore. But what I can tell you is that your ability to feel one with the snake has nothing to do with it being more core than the dog. In fact," Brom paused to draw his wand. He pointed it as Harry as the young student scrambled to do the same. "It has more to do with your state of mind and natural magical instinct." He calmly slipped the wand back under his brown robes.

"Don't scare me like that," Harry said, returning his wand as well.

"Ah, but it has proved a point. Now then, magical instinct is the natural reaction to using magic. You see, that wand may have a mind but it is only a conduit for your own magic. The more powerful your instinct, the more you give yourself to that magic. Don't believe me? Have you ever done something you couldn't explain, something you did without a wand or even intent?" Brom asked.

Harry remembered back to his only visit to the zoo. "Ah, you remember. And from what I gathered, it was something else. You, Harry, have a strong instinct. It's the only explanation for your survival. It's very strong, and when it takes over, no amount of experience or knowledge will ever be enough of an equalizer."

"Why isn't this ever taught?" Harry asked.

"Because it's not normally strong enough to really impact, or in some cases ever needed. But the way this country seems to revolve around you, it doesn't surprise me. Next time you transform, don't think; feel. That's why I love being an animagus – you're much more in tune with your instincts. And don't fear the snake; a white snake is a sign of rebirth. But what you become is entirely up to you. Now then, Dumbledore should be arriving shortly. So, if you are interested, I would be more than happy to have another chat, but I need to get my students together. I could ramble on forever, anyway. I am sure you have a lot of questions. And if you're interested, I always have a nice morning run. Feel free to meet me near that lovely cottage. That is, if you are interested in learning a bit more and maybe I can learn as to how you can transform into two separate animals."

"So, you don't know how this thing works?"

"I have theories, many theories. But nothing I can say with certainity. All you need to worry about is your homework. Oh, and good luck in the Dueling Club," Brom said with a smile. "Now, for some fish sticks and custard." With that, the American wizard vanished.

"My head; too much information," Harry groaned, rubbing his head. "So, should I wait for the headmaster of head back to the dorm?" he wondered, glancing at the door.

* * *

><p><strong>And Brom returns! The crazy old loon that he is - I can't wait to show his antics throughout the year. But, he is relatively brilliant, you had to hand him that much. So, now that you've seen a bit more of Brom, R&amp;R to let us know what you think of him. <strong>

**~LE**


	31. A Dual Duel to Wow

****Disclaimer: I do not own anything of this story. Harry Potter and all of the notable characters belong to J.K. Rowling.****

* * *

><p>Magnolia Crescent<p>

Chapter Thirty-One

A Dual Duel to Wow

Harry, Hermione and Ron all walked into the Great Hall where the Goblet of Fire stood. The Hall was packed and it took them a few minutes before they spotted a few of the Gryffindors, as well as Leo hanging with his other two friends. It took them another few minutes to make their way through the crowds.

"Hello Leo," Harry greeted. Leo turned and glanced around a moment.

"She's not here, you daft twat," Dante said, looking at Leo. The lion trio looked at Dante with confusion. "He's been like this ever since the Ve – "

"Hush," Leo said, glaring at Dante. The dark-haired Slytherin simply rolled his ice blue eyes and went back to looking at the Goblet.

"What are guys doing anyway?" Ron asked, watching Dante with curious eyes.

"Goblet watching. So far all of Durmstrang and a few from each of the resected houses has dropped a name. But nobody worth cheering for," he replied, watching as Angelina passed them and dropped her name into the flame. The twins followed and dropped their own names in before gallivanting around with linked arms in obvious success. Just as they high-fived, the crowd around them gasped as snow white beards sprouted on their faces.

"So, do we have a game plan for today's season opening?" Leo asked, glancing at the three Gryffindors.

"What for? We are a go for the wild card spot. Even if we lost every match up to this point," Ron said, giving them a confident smirk.

"I would rather not take that risk. I think we should do some more practice; besides, most of the teams that made it are sixth and seventh year," Harry reminded. "_Accio orange juice_," he said, holding out his wand. A glass of juice leaped to his hand.

"Pride comes before the fall, Ron. Don't jinx us before we even begin. Did you hear Malfoy has a team as well?" Leo pointed out.

"I hope he gets far. I want to crush him myself," Ron said, a cruel grin on his face.

"I doubt it. Malfoy isn't well known for being a good duelist. And I have seen who he has with him; mostly fourth year students," Hermione said, adding a bit of trivia.

"I would say his chances of getting far are about as good as ours," Luna said, startling both Ron and Leo as she popped up.

"When did she?" Leo mouthed, pointing to her. Ron just shrugged, having no answer of his own.

"This is bogus in every sense of the word. We paid money to come over here and it turns into a glorified field trip!" shouted a very loud and feminine voice. They all turned to see a pair of Americans walking in. One was a very tall male, draped in a brown leather coat in similar length to the Hogwarts robes. What truly separated it was the brown strips of leather that hung from the sleeves, the bottom of the long coat and around the upper chest.

"I doubt your mom and dad sent you over here just cause they honestly thought you would be selected," the man said in a much calmer voice. He was a brown-haired teen, easily six feet tall and clearly in the lead. They passed Harry without so much as a glance. The girl, dressed in similar clothes, continued to complain.

"It's the principle of the matter. Now only about half the people that came are even allowed to compete!" she all but shouted.

"So loud," Leo said, glaring at the auburn haired girl. She turned to glare at him for a brief second before turning back to her fellow American.

"The point remains: the rules are different here and we must abide by them. So don't get any ideas; I've already seen about four different beards. Dumbledore's reputation precedes him," he reminded.

"Don't remind me," she growled, tossing something at him. He ducked to avoid it, causing it to sail right past and hit Harry in the head.

"Ouch!" Harry exclaimed, frowning as he rubbed his forehead. The two Americans seemed to snap out of their discussion and glanced at him.

"Well, shit," the guy said. "Great, first day here and we've already caused a diplomatic incident. Way to go, Laryl."

"It was just a pen," she scoffed.

"It's quite alright," Harry said, tossing the pen back at the girl named Laryl. "Do try to watch your aim next time," he said with a smirk.

"Did you hit him hard enough? You gave him a scar?" the other American joked with a slight smirk.

"Sorry," she apologized, glancing between her friend and Harry.

"Anyway, my name is Zachary and this is Laryl. Sorry for bothering you but this one's having a bit of a disagreement with the rules," Zachary said, introducing himself and his friend.

"Harry Potter. Oh, this is Hermione, Ron, Leo, Dante and Alec," Harry said, pointing to each person in turn. They all waved but remained silent.

"Harry Potter, what a weird name," Laryl said, frowning at him. Zachary glared at her.

"Sorry about Laryl's manners. Anyway, we should get going. Nice to meet you," Zachary said, as the two made their way through the Great Hall.

"So, we have another match coming up soon. About three more and then the tournament will start up around Halloween. According to the charts, that will go on to about the first of January before the championship starts up. That's going to be fun," Leo read off, looking over a pamphlet. "Every man for themselves at that point."

"Yeah, I am going to get you back for beating me and Harry once we make it to the championship," Ron said, pointing his finger at Leo.

"Could be fun," Harry said with a shrug, not really feeling the desire to win.

"Come on, this is the first dueling tournament. The winner's name will go in the school trophy room for sure," Ron said, stars in his eyes. Leo simply shook his head, looking over at Harry. They turned their attention to the doors when Snape walked in.

"Anyone not in the dueling club," Snape started, flicking his wand, "get out." Students scrambled to the sides as tables and benches cleared the area. Harry got up and everyone followed them to the side.

"Alright, Leo, we'll catch you later," Alec called, practically dragging a reluctant Dante from the Great Hall with the other non-duelers.

"Hello, Potter," a voice said. Harry glanced back to see Mad-Eye Moody.

"Mr. Moody, how are you?" Harry kind of asked, unsure of what to say.

"Breathing," Moody replied, looking around the room. His magical eye, however, was still on Harry. "Do keep your wand out of your back pocket, Potter. Trust me," Moody advised. Harry frowned, grabbing his wand and looking at it. "Get a holster next time you are in Hosgmead. It will stick to your shirt; trust me, it's a good idea," the man said, tapping his staff on the ground.

"Not a bad idea," Harry admitted, looking at Moody.

"Well, I need to be off. The Ministry isn't paying me to talk to teenagers. Constant vigilance," he declared as he walked off.

"Why is he here?" Ron asked. "He's an ex-Auror. I can't really understand why he would be hanging around unless he was a teacher."

"I don't have the answers to everything," Hermione said with a huff.

"Maybe he is looking for flaceracks," Luna offered, finally speaking up from her silence.

"So who is going up first this time?" Harry asked. Luna's hand shot into the air. "Well, if no one is interested, I could go first."

"Well, I haven't had a duel in a little while, I could go first," Leo offered.

"I got this one," Ron said with a confident smirk. Luna was waving her hand in the air.

"But you go first every time. Let someone else get some practice in," Leo retorted. Luna began jumping up and down.

"Pick me," she said, holding her arm up with her other hand, trying to make it as high as possible.

"Well, if that's the case, I wouldn't mind getting my round over with as soon as possible," Hermione said, shooting a glare at Leo.

"Still in trouble, huh?" he asked, a very fragile smile on his face. Hermione cocked her hip to the side while her frown deepened. "Yep."

"Oh, pick me!" Luna shouted causing everyone to glance at her.

"Has Luna actually competed?" Harry asked, looking at Leo. The Slytherin as everyone looked at Luna.

"I didn't want to be rude," she said.

"Well, that sounds like a plan. Luna, you got first jab," Harry said. "And let us know if you are feeling tired or need to take a break," he added with a kind smile.

"Okay," she said, tilting her head to the side. The first competitor barely lasted two minutes before Luna sent him skidding to the other side of the table.

"Point to Lovegood," Sirius said, picking his jaw up off the ground. The rest of the team couldn't even find any words. She gave a light twirl, skipping back to her side of the table.

"What number are we at?" Ron asked, swallowing a lump in his throat.

"I think that was two now," Harry answered as the next student walked up onto the table.

"Miss Lovegood, would you like to take a break?" Sirius asked.

"No, I am fine," she said with a broad smile, sounding very chipper. Her opponent drew his wand and sent a stunning spell. Luna weaved to the side, easily avoiding three more spells in rapid succession without raising her wand. He kept blasting as she bent and twisted out of the way of each attack.

And then with a single swish of her wand, the student was sent flying back and landing on the floor in the exact same spot as the other two that she had fought against.

"Wee!" she cried, twirling to the end of the table before dropping into the arms of Harry and Leo. She wrapped a hand around both their necks.

"Well then," Leo said, looking at Harry. He was blushing at the simple contact.

"Can we do that again?" Luna asked, looking at both of them. She leaned forward to drop back onto her feet.

"Bloody hell, that was brilliant!" Ron commented as everyone grouped around her, complementing a job well done.

"Luna?" Harry asked, realizing she had frozen up.

"Yes?" she asked, rubbing the corner of her eye with her palm.

"You okay?" he asked.

"Never better," she said with a smile. "So, what is next?" she asked, bouncing in the air.

"Where does she get all that energy?" Leo asked. Harry simply shrugged. "Well, a few more matches and then the tournament. So, who do you think is going in?"

"No idea, I wouldn't mind – " Ron started as they walked out of the Great Hall, chatting away.

"So, did everything go well?" Ginny asked, catching up with Luna and Hermione.

"I would say so," Hermione admitted, shutting her book. "Luna pulled through for us in the end." Hermione paused, realizing that Ginny was looking a bit down. "If you want, you can take my place. I wasn't all that interesting in this to begin with."

"Really? Then why did you join?" Ginny asked, giving her a confused look.

"Harry can be very persuasive when he wants to be," Hermione said with a defeated sigh.

"I couldn't – you are way too good. I couldn't hope to replace you," Ginny said, rubbing the back of her neck.

"Well, I really do want a way out. So, how about we have a quick session and see what happens. Besides, I was planning on dropping out when I got to the last part since it's supposed to be all one-on-one matches."

"Well, if you really don't mind," Ginny said. "Um, can Luna come as well?" she asked. The pair looked at the girl in question.

"Sure, why not?" Luna said in a loud voice as the three walked off.

"Okay, no, don't swish your wand around so much, Neville," Harry instructed, demonstrating the spell again.

"Right," Neville said, trying to disarm Leo again. He was simply staring off into space but nearly jumped when he felt his wand move in his hand.

"Holy crap," Leo said in a half-dead voice, "it actually moved." Neville frowned, looking down while Harry shot a glare at Leo. "Hey, I can only stand here for so long before I start getting snippy," he said with a frown.

Harry cast a spell, sending Leo's wand flying.

"Git," Leo growled, moving to retrieve his wand.

"Neville, it's about confidence. You have the knowledge, you got the wand motions down. You just need to be confident," Harry reminded. His fellow Gryffindor didn't look convened in the slightest. "Hey Ron, how about a mock two-on-two duel?"

Ron glanced up from his sitting position. "Sure, whose side am I on?" Harry motioned towards Leo which made Ron sigh but he still stood shoulder to shoulder with the Slytherin.

"Just follow my lead and take it slow, okay?" Harry said as Neville nodded and they each drew their wands. "Ready?" he asked as the other team turned back to him.

"Ready," they both said out of sync. Everyone drew their wands and Harry made the first move. Lights flashed between each other as both Ron and Leo had no issues walking forward. Harry planted his feet when they went after him first.

"Neville, help me out!" Harry shouted, struggling to keep his Shield Charm up as it took stunning shots from both Ron and Leo.

Neville seemed to pause as he looked at Harry but something suddenly snapped for him. "Stupify!" he shouted, casting the full blunt of the spell at Ron. Leo paused for a single second but it was all Harry needed. He capitalized on the opening and Leo took a hit as well. Both of them went flying in the opposite direction.

Harry slapped a stunned Neville on the back while Ron ad Leo picked themselves up off the floor. "That will do," he said with a smile and Neville returned one of his own. "Well, I think that's enough for today," Harry said but Leo and Ron weren't paying attention. Harry turned to see what had their attention and was surprised to see Professor Dumbledore standing in the doorway. "Can I help you, Professor?"

Dumbledore glanced at the other three who nodded to him in respect before scurrying out of the door. "I see you have made friends with our young Mr. Holmes. Good to see," he said with a genuine smile on his face.

"Yeah, he's cool. Is something the matter? You don't normally seek me out unless it's something important," Harry inquired, looking up at the headmaster. The twinkle in his eye seemed to dim a bit. "Oh, sorry. That was a bit rude of me. We are both very busy; you know, school work and stuff."

"It's quite alright, Mr. Potter, I understand. Still, if we did have time, I would be more than happy to talk over a spot of tea and some lemon drops. No, just wondering what Headmaster Brom wanted to talk to you about is all. If you would indulge an old man's curiosity," Dumbledore said, the twinkle back in his eye.

"Sure thing. Well, Sirius taught me about being an Anigmagus and Brom just wanted to ask about it. Said something about a legend of multi-transformations," Harry explained, leaving out a few minor details.

"Ah, yes, it came to my attention. I would advise you to get that registered when you graduate," Dumbledore reminded. Harry nodded. "Well, it's nice to see some things haven't changed too much," he said as he started to walk away.

"I'll get right on that, Professor," Harry admitted a little too sincerely. "Just as soon as I turn in my cloak and map," he said with a nervous smile on his face. It faltered and fell after a second's thought. "Dear God, I'm turning into Sirius," he realized.

* * *

><p><strong>Wow, nothing but duels in this chapter! And don't worry, next chapter we'll get to see the girls duel!<strong>

**~LE**


	32. An Unsurprising Last Minute Addition

****Disclaimer: I do not own anything of this story. Harry Potter and all of the notable characters belong to J.K. Rowling.****

* * *

><p><span>Magnolia Crescent<span>

Chapter Thirty-Two

An Unsurprising Last Minute Addition

Harry took another bite of his food, looking up at the Goblet of Fire sitting in front of Dumbledore's chair. It seemed to be on everyone's mind. Harry kept to himself but a few students gossiped about who would be the Hogwart's Champion.

"I've got two Sickles that says Diggory's going to be our Champion," Leo said, snatching a biscuit from Ron's plate. Ron nearly snarled through a forkful of eggs at the Slytherin who only grinned as he took a bite in response. He swallowed forcefully.

"You're on. Two Sickles says that he's not going to be our Champion," Ron said competitively. "Angelina will."

"I'll back that bet, Ron," Fred said, pulling out a roll of parchment and a quill.

"In fact," his twin said, "we'll even record your bets for you." Harry listened quietly as his friends debated over who would be the Hogwarts Champion. He was personally leaning towards the only known Ravenclaw entry.

"What about you, Harry? Care to place a bet?" Leo asked, pausing to wave Luna over.

"Why not?" he said with a shrug. "Two Sickles on Fawcett."

"Fawcett? That Ravenclaw bookworm?" Ron said, astounded.

"I think we'll have a Gryffindor Champion," Luna said in her far-off voice.

"Yes!" Ron shouted, fist pumping the air. "I knew it!"

"And it's going to be Harry," she finished, making everyone freeze. Even Ron, halfway through a fist pump, stopped to look at her.

"Wait, what?" Leo and Ron said together.

"But I didn't enter my name, Luna," Harry protested, looking at her curiously.

"That makes no matter," she replied simply.

"Luna, the possibility of Harry being our Champion is absurd," Hermione argued. That was all she got to say on the matter. Dumbledore approached the podium, clapped his hands and cleared away the remains of dinner. Leo and Luna slunk off to their own tables, Leo with a smug look on his face.

"Now then, it is time to call out the Champions for each school!" Dumbledore announced, clapping his hands twice to get everyone's attention. He paused to glance over at Brom, who smiled and waved back. "Now that the Goblet of Fire has gotten its extra school. If your name is chosen, head past the staff table to the room back there," he directed. Nearly every student glanced at the door in question.

Dumbledore lowered his hands, dimming the candles and lanterns as he did so. With the Great Hall darkened, the attention of everyone inside the room was drawn to the Goblet, as lashes of blue-white flame curled through the air.

When it seemed as though nothing would happen, the Goblet released a piece of parchment in a shot of red fire. Dumbledore snatched it from the air, glancing at the name scrawled upon it. The suspense was almost palpable. Finally, he spoke.

"Our champion from Durmstrang, Viktor Krum!" he shouted. The Durmstrang students erupted into cheers and applause, urging a crowd-drunk Krum to go where he needed. He had barely made it through the door when the Cup released another jet of red flame.

Fleur Delacour was named champion of Buexbatons and she left the room gracefully, as only the French could do. Their own champion was announced as Cedric Diggory, much to the delight of the Hufflepuffs. Harry could have sworn he had heard Leo celebrating from the Slytherin table. With one last jet of red flame, Salem's champion was announced as Zachary Jackson. Harry recognized the American that had talked with them a few days ago. He was solemn-faced, unlike the other Champions who had grinned widely as they made their way through the Great Hall.

Dumbledore turned away from the Goblet to address the students remaining. "Now that we have our champions, it's time to meet your judges," he began. But not one student was paying attention to him. Instead, every single one of them was gazing over his shoulder at the Goblet of Fire. It seemed unsure of what it was doing. The flames kept leaping high, alternating between red and blue, as if it couldn't decide if it wanted another Champion or not. Dumbledore gazed at it curiously, his brow furrowed in thought. It finally let loose a red jet, a scrap of smoking parchment falling lightly through the air. The headmaster caught it with nimble fingers, staring at the name incredulously.

The tension in the Hall was almost palpable as the student body waited to find out who it was. Just when it seemed like to burst, Dumbledore murmured the name quietly.

"Harry Potter," he said and then seemed to realize that no one could hear him. "Harry Potter!" he almost shouted, turning to find his face.

Harry, who had stood to his feet only to find out what was going on, quickly dropped back down to the bench. His blood had run cold and his heart was racing. It was Hermione who finally urged him back to his feet.

"Go on, Harry. Get up there," she hissed, almost pushing him out of his chair. He stumbled into the aisle, making his way up front on numb feet. He could feel the eyes of every student, teacher and Ministry official alike on him as he walked. Even Dumbledore was looking at him with a critical eye.

"Through the door," the headmaster instructed. Harry swallowed and pushed the door open. He saw the other four Champions waiting within. The men looked up at his entrance but it was Fleur who spoke.

"Do zey want us back in ze hall?" she asked in a heavy French accent.

"Um," Harry said, unsure of what to say when the doors crashed open and saved him.

"This is incredible! Never before have we had four Champions, let alone five!" Ludo Bagman shouted with glee. The initial reactions were varied but all came down to shock.

"Oh, vairy funny joke, Meester Bagman," Fleur said, tossing her silver hair back with a smile.

"Joke? Oh no, this is no joke. His name came out of the Goblet," he explained.

"Zair must be a mistake. He is clearly too young," Fleur argued.

"I would hate to remind you, Miss Delacour, but the age restriction was a line. It is possible for younger students to compete if they could get past it in some way," Zachary said, looking at Harry impressed.

"Don't," Harry warned the American. Zack frowned at his comment but they could say no more as a large group of staff walked in, including his godfather and Mad-Eye Moody.

"Madame Maxine!" Fleur cried, walking away from the rest of the group. The rest of her words were cut off by an outraged Sirius.

"You need to get Harry out of this tournament!" Sirius shouted, voice completely over-powering Fleur. "We know how this works; this is another attempt on my godson's life. And I want him taken out, immediately," he demanded.

"I agree, we have enough Champions with the American involved," Karkaroff added. Brom said nothing, simply nodding for Zack to join him. "Hogwarts cannot have two Champions. We were under the impression your Age Line would keep out younger students," he sneered as Dumbledore calmly walked through the door.

"It's no one's fault but Potter's," Snape said, coming to Dumbledore's defense. "If anything, I'd bet Black put Potter's name in the Goblet himself."

"How dare you!" Sirius roared, spinning around to glare at the Potions master. His fist curled up and he looked ready to deck Snape. Moody stepped in before anyone got sent to the hospital wing.

"Now is not the time for this," Moody said, setting the tip of his staff on Sirius's chest and one palm on Snape.

"Harry," Dumbledore said calmly, "did you put your name in the Goblet?" Harry shook his head. "Did you ask anyone of the older students to put your name in?" he asked, looking at Harry with a twinkling eye. Again, he shook his head. Dumbledore nodded.

"I told you!" Sirius shouted defensively.

"'E is clearly lying," cried Madame Maxine. Snape was shaking his head.

"My godson would not lie on such a matter," Sirius growled, turning his attention to the tall woman. She seemed to puff up as if challenging him.

"Sirius," Harry snapped, cutting into the argument. "It's okay," he said, trying to placate him. Sirius released a long sigh but stepped down.

"What do the rules say on the matter?" Brom said, his gentle voice booming over everyone. "Mr. Crouch, you know them better than anyone. Would you be so kind as to put a solid end to this argument?" he asked, staying just as calm as Dumbledore. Harry felt a sense of calmness finally come over the room.

"We must follow the rules. Any name that comes out of the Goblet of Fire is legally bound by a magical contract to participate," Mr. Crouch said.

"So, the matter is closed. The Goblet has gone out for another four years and we all know what happens to those who do not fulfill a magical contract," Brom said with a hard voice, clearly sick of all the arguing. Nobody spoke up while Maxine and Karkaroff were particularly silent. "You should be ashamed, each and every one of you, for acting like children on this matter." His eyes scanned the room, from Karkaroff to Sirius. "Now then, as Sirius said, I do believe that someone put his name into the Goblet with the hopes of his perishing in the Tournament. Harry's history is more than enough evidence, and yet, he is acting more like an adult than the rest of you," Brom chided.

"Now that everything is cleared up, and your opinions on the matter noted, the first task shall take place on November the twenty-fourth," Mr. Crouch said. "The Champions cannot ask for, nor accept, help from any teacher to complete the tasks in the Tournament. They will face the first challenge with only their wand. Information on the second task will be revealed after the first is completed. Other than that, Champions are exempted from end-of-the-year exams."

"Now that we have that out of the way, I feel like clearing out. Come on, Zack, no sense in sticking around," Brom said, making his leave. Sirius put his hand on Harry's shoulder and pushed him towards the door.

"Harry," Sirius said, his voice cracking a bit as they left the room.

"Sirius, I didn't put my name in that cup," Harry said in a voice that brooked no argument. Sirius only smiled.

"Kind of wish you had, but I believe you. The implications that you didn't are far worse – whoever put your name in that Goblet is no friend of yours. Damn that contract, if it wasn't for the magically binding part, I would drag you out of school tonight," he said. Sirius slammed his fist into the wall, barely wincing from the pain. "I will not watch you die, Harry," he said, looking him in the eye. "Rules or no rules," he said in an even voice. After a moment's pause, he started down the hall again.

"Sirius, what do we do? I am competing against people who are three years my senior. And with tons more magical experience than I have," Harry said, rushing next to Sirius.

"Forget the competition. Harry, your job is to survive. I am going to see if I can dig something up on the first challenge. And if I know my school competition, you're not going to be the only one with 'help'," Sirius said, pausing on the second floor. "Now, head up to your dorm and get some sleep. Things are not going to be easy this year."

"When are they ever?" Harry murmured, heading up to Gryffindor Tower. Absorbed as he was in his thoughts, he gave the password to the Fat Lady without thinking and headed through.

"Congratulations!" the common room shouted. Harry skidded to a halt, a celebration staring him in the face.

"Guessing no one thought this could be another attempt on my life," Harry thought to himself, forcing out a smile as he shook hands. "But it could be worse," he realized, thinking back to his second year.

"Look, everyone," he shouted and the common room quickly calmed down. "This has been eventful, and thanks for the support, but I am tired and going to head to bed," he said, doing his best to look sleepy. "Buy it," he thought to himself as quite a few people looked disappointed.

Thankfully, his dorm mates smiled and gave him a pat on the back as he headed up the stairs. As soon as he was in the clear, the smile fell from his face. "How did Lockhart do it?" he wondered, already feeling drained from his latest brush with fame. Harry frowned; glancing back, he knew this would not be the end of it. But Sirius had shown that having some public back could make things much easier.

"Hey Harry, how did you get your name in the Goblet?" Ron asked later that night.

"I didn't," Harry replied in a dead tone.

"Well, I figured you would at least tell your best friend," he grumbled, shifting in his bed.

"Ron," Harry started. "You know what, never mind," he sighed, shifting away and wondering what in the world he was going to do in order to keep his head on his shoulders.

"I just realized something," he said.

"What?" Ron said in a curt tone.

"Who is going to replace me on the Dueling team?" he asked. Ron shot up from his bed, eyes wide.

"No, no, no, no," Ron repeated two days later, shouting at the top of his lungs. The Phoenixes were gathered in an empty classroom, waiting to practice. They hadn't done much since meeting as Harry and Ron had been at each other's throats. "I am going to ask Fred or George. We have better people we can ask," Ron declared. Neville did his best impersonation of a wallflower.

"Look, he is good. I taught him and he can hold his own," Harry defended, trying to keep his growing frustration out of his voice. Meanwhile, Hermione was reading a book with Luna looking over her shoulder. Leo simply glanced back and forth between the two.

"Do I get a say in the matter?" Leo asked, raising his hand.

"Sure," Harry said.

"No," Ron said at the same time.

"Look, guys it's not that big of a deal," Neville said, trying to cut the argument off.

"Yes, it is. This is the first time I get the chance of winning a trophy. We have a really good shot and I don't want to screw it up," Ron explained, slapping the back of one hand into the palm of the other.

"And I am telling you, he will help," Harry said. "Besides, your brothers both have other plans so outside of Ginny, we don't know anyone who can and is willing to join up," Harry reminded.

"Harry has a point," Leo said. "Besides, my chest can attest to his skill," he said, rubbing his chest. Ron turned red. Harry had a feeling it had less to do with Neville and more to the why his replacement was needed.

"Fine," he said in a low tone. "But if we lose this, it's on your head," he said, pointing at Neville.

"Finally. Now that that's over with, let's get back to practice," Hermione said, shutting her book as she stood up. "Oh, Harry, any ideas on what you are going to do for your first task?" she asked, pulling him off to the side.

"No idea, I guess I'll just do what I do best and wing it," he said with a forced smirk.

"Sirius is rubbing off on you," she said with a sigh. "Look, I made up a small list of spells you should practice," she advised. "I would much rather be helping you, but Ronald would have a fit if I quit on him now." She let out a sigh.

"Well, at least he will talk to you. I have been getting the cold shoulder as of late," Harry said, disappointment coloring his voice. "I don't get why everyone seems to think I am a glory hound. It's really annoying."

"Better a glory hound than an Heir of Slytherin," Hermione said, reminding him of second year.

"I think I should get an agent to help my image or something. But at least then I didn't have issues with my friends as well," Harry said, glancing at Ron. He was doing his best at a pep talk.

"Harry, if you do need some help, Ginny could use a partner as well," Hermione said thoughtfully. Harry glanced back at her for a moment.

"No thanks, I'll just sit back and watch."

"Sorry Harry, I would feel more comfortable if you left. Seeing as you're not part of the team," Ron said curtly. Harry shrugged and got to his feet. He really wasn't in the mood to deal with Ron's petty issues at the moment.

Harry and the team had found a free period. Since Ron didn't want him in the practice room, he found himself wandering the grounds. Before long, he was making his way to Hagrid's cabin.

"Oh, hello, Harry. Congratulations on entering the Tournament and all," he said when he answered the door.

"Hello, Hagrid. Thanks," he said with a dejected sigh while Fang drooled at his feet. Harry dropped himself into a chair, scowling at the wood of the table.

"What's got you so blue? You're the youngest Champion, that should be something to be proud of," Hagrid offered, slapping Harry on the back. His chin nearly hit the table and only through sheer force of will did he manage to stay upright through Hagrid's pat.

"Ron's jealous," he said, getting right down to it. "He's upset that I have to quit our dueling team and that I even got into the Tournament. It's not like I wanted this; if I had, does he honestly think I would have signed up for the dueling club? We weren't allowed to do both." Harry let out an angry sigh as he accepted a mug of tea. After taking a sip, he calmed a bit.

"I hope he's not getting mean on ya," Hagrid said, seating himself at the table.

"Silent treatment. I got kicked out of their practice because I'm no longer on the team," he ground out.

"Sounds like he's goin' about it all the wrong way," he replied. "But I can see why he would be jealous." Harry perked up, looking at Hagrid with curiosity.

"How so? He's my friend. At least, I thought he was," Harry said.

"Harry, you've had so much fame that you're used to it. But Ron ain't got none of that. Especially when he's got that big family of his to contend with. That's probably what he really wants and is just upset that you went out of your way to get more, in his eyes," Hagrid reasoned, scratching Fang behind one ear.

"Yes, but he should be able to just tell me. He didn't even take my word at face value, Hagrid," Harry cried, glad to be able to vent some. Hagrid had no reply right away. They sat there in silence for a few moments. Finally, Hagrid spoke.

"Well, if I know anything you three, he'll get over it eventually. Be patient and give him time, Harry. Ya know, I remember an American saying something once and it's really quite fitting for you right now," Hagrid said, pausing to take a sip of his tea. "Don't judge a man until you've walked a mile in his shoes."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Harry asked with a scowl, running a nail over a small crack in the tea mug.

"Harry, you're not listening and you're not getting it," he replied bluntly. "Try and see things from his point of view. Maybe if you're the bigger man in this situation and don't rise to his bait, he might just come back to his sense quicker. Heavens know that we don't need you two quarreling during your Creatures class." Hagrid smiled, causing his eyes to crinkle above his beard.

With a tired smile, Harry nodded his thanks to Hagrid. He knew he was right, but he was just so tired of Ron's petty arguments. If he kept up with the cold shoulder, this year was going to be rough.

In the company of Hagrid, the afternoon passed quickly. He helped take of the Beauxbatons' horses. He was even given a peak at their upcoming class project. Harry was confused when Hagrid took the lid off the box and saw a lobster looking creature.

"Blast-Ended Skrewts, and I've a fair few over here that we're going to raise. Should be fun," Hagrid said, grinning proudly. Harry tried to hide his grimace. Hagrid had a very different idea of fun that most people. But he tried to feign excitement for his friend. If anything, taking care of the Blast-Ended Skrewts would help take his mind off of the Tournament.

Much as he would have liked to stay, Harry was forced to leave a few hours before dinner. He still had one more class of the day. He really didn't want to be late for Sirius' class. Besides, he wanted to see if his godfather had dug up anything of use.

* * *

><p><strong>So, yes, things are going ahead as canon so far. But Harry got smart and vented. I have a feeling that we won't be going over the classes too much, so I figured I'd sprinkle in some future Creatures classes so you didn't think we forgot about them. :) We're going to get started on the next chapter soon, so stay tuned.<br>**

**~LE**


	33. Dragon Fights

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything of this story. Harry Potter and all of the notable characters belong to J.K. Rowling.**

* * *

><p><span>Magnolia Crescent<span>

Chapter Thirty-Three

Dragon Fights

"Harry," Sirius called as his godson was packing up his Defense books. He snapped his head up to look at his godfather. "Oh, don't give me that look. I'm not going to give you detention."

He relaxed a bit as Sirius leaned back on his desk. They watched the rest of the students file out. "If you have any questions, feel free to bring them up. My door is open at seven after the dining hall closes," he reminded the class as the room emptied.

"Not going to try and be subtle about this?" Harry asked, looking up at him. He smirked, showing off his teeth.

"Nope, I got a letter from Mrs. Weasley telling me how bad of a parent I am and that I should be keeping a closer eye on you," he said, pulling out the parchment. "Oddly enough, she then goes on to tell me that one of her sons is coming home from Romania, of all places. He'll be staying for the first task and leaving shortly thereafter. How odd, huh?" Sirius asked. Harry gulped.

"So, dragons, huh?" he asked. Sirius only shrugged.

"Wouldn't know but I felt you should let Ron know his older brother is going to be home. She says to let Harry know to tell Ron, right here," he said, poking at the paper.

"A hint," Harry surmised. Sirius shrugged again.

"Well, I have no idea. It could just be a coincidence," he said, standing up. "Just thought I should let you know. Better go tell Ron; I have papers to grade." He moved around his desk, grabbing the papers as he went.

Harry walked out of the classroom, Sirius watching him out of the corner of his eye. He tapped the papers with his wand and marks began to appear. Sirius took out a pocket watch. "Five minutes," he told himself, making his way out the door. He locked the door to his room before taking one last look around and disappearing.

Harry made a face later that day as another "Potter Stinks" badge caught his eye. He shook his head, having seen them around already, mostly sported by Slytherins. Although, there was at least a handful of students from other house sporting them as well. He suppressed an annoyed grumble when a low chanting filled his ear.

"Fight! Fight! Fight!" came the chant. Harry paused, closing his eyes and trying his best to fight a desire to investigate.

"Curses," he grumbled, running down the outside corridor. But his path was blocked by a large group of students. He shoved past them and his blood went cold.

Ron landed a hard blow on Leo's shoulder. Leo grabbed onto his robe, pulling him to the ground with him. Harry shoved past the last few people, fighting his way for the center to put an end to the fight. Ron rolled to the side, trying to get his feet under him. But Leo rushed, slamming his shoulder into Ron. The onlookers parted as they stumbled into the courtyard. Blood dripped from what looked like a broken nose on Leo.

"Ronald!" Hermione shouted, grabbing onto his arms in an attempt to break up the fight. Luna grabbed Leo and her feet tore into the grass with the effort. Hermione's grip began to falter. Then she fell back and this time it was Ron who charged with Leo's arms still locked behind him. Harry finally pushed through the inner circle but caught his foot and fell.

Ron knocked into Leo, sending Luna to the ground. A gasp went up and Harry realized that he couldn't see as his glasses were missing. He hurriedly reached out and found them and spotted Luna underneath the fight. There was a loud crack and Harry watched as Ron dropped from a massive haymaker that Leo had dealt him. He winced as the blow sent Ron careening to the ground, grasping at his chin.

Leo got to his feet, glaring down at Ron, who was staring back with eyes hot with fire. Harry stepped forward, leveling his wand at Leo. The crowd went silent as Leo raised his hands.

"You're a good friend, coming to his rescue. But he hit me first," Leo said, glancing down at Ron.

"Ron would never," Hermione defended hotly.

"Ouch," Luna said, stepping closer.

"Luna?" Harry asked, lowering his wand. "Ouch, looks like they got you good on the eye, Luna." Leo took out his wand and the scratch around her left eye slowly healed and vanished.

"He's telling the truth, Ron did hit him in the back," Luna said, a little too chipper. Hermione glared down at Ron and Harry turned his gaze on him.

"It's not his fault. I was antagonizing him," Leo said, glancing down at the ground.

"No, you weren't," Luna replied, bouncing on her toes ever so slightly. Harry turned to her with a curious expression. Leo sighed heavily, hanging his head in defeat. "He was getting on Ron's case for being such a bad friend to you, Harry."

Harry glanced at Leo but the Slytherin averted his gaze. The students began to part as the fight was over but also because of a teacher pushing their way through.

"What is the meaning of this?" Professor Snape demanded. Everyone tensed up. The onlookers departed, leaving the five involved. "Potter," he grunted, glaring at the Boy Who Lived.

"Ron and Leo got into a spat," Luna said before anyone could speak up. He looked down at Ron, then at Leo, his eyes betraying nothing.

"50 points from Slytherin for getting into a fight. 50 from Ravenclaw and 150 from Gryffindor. Each of you will be spending some time in detention. As for you," he said, glancing at Leo, "I hope you realize that a friend in Gryffindor is never a friend for long. Come along, I don't need another fight breaking out. To the hospital wing, Weasley," Snape said, realizing that Ron and Leo were the only ones injured.

"Thanks, Professor." Leo took out his wand and pointed it at his face. "_Carne Reparatoine_," he said. His broken nose popped back into place. "But I can handle myself." They all stood in silence as he walked off.

"Well, what are you all waiting for?" Snape said curtly.

Harry felt his brow wrinkle as he looked up at Ron. "Hit him in the back, huh?" he asked, feeling a level of coldness he never knew he had. "I guess I can't tell who the wrong sort are, after all," he said.

Ron at least had the decency to flinch as the words reached him. He seemed to choke on his words before finally spitting them out. "I'm tired of sitting by," he said. "You've always been better than me, smart, the damn hero. I'm always in someone's shadow. Now, you seek even more attention, but you won't even confide in me!" he nearly shouted. Hermione jumped but Harry barely batted an eyelash. He had a feeling this was the reason.

"When have I ever lied?" Harry asked, his voice low and cold. "I have never lied, I have always been honest and told you everything I knew. Ron, you can believe whatever you want. I am honest with you and Hermione. I have never withheld anything from you. Not once; if you are my friend, you will believe that," he said, clapping a hand on Ron's shoulder and looking him in the eye. "Also, your mother sent a letter to Sirius. Said your brother is back from Romania," he said, turning away. He felt a growing need to hit something, anything at this point in time. And he had to get away before Ron became the target.

He opened up the doors to the training room a few minutes later and heard the sound of panting. He found Neville on his hands and knees, panting for breath. "Neville?" Harry asked. The boy suddenly shot to his feet.

"Harry?" he asked, dusting himself off and doing his best to look presentable. Harry glanced at him; his body seemed to shake uncontrollably. "What are you doing here?" he asked. Harry didn't reply but took out his wand instead.

"_Accio bench_," he said, pulling the bench forwards and forcing Neville to sit down. He let out a sigh of relief. "I could ask you the same thing," Harry said, sitting down as well.

"Well, Ron was so worked up about losing you on the team. I have to be better; I can't let the team down," he said, slumping in clear exhaustion.

"Yeah, just do your best. It's not like any of us actually expect to win. It's all for fun," Harry said, slapping him on the back.

"Easy for you to say. You're used to pleasure. I mean, when have you ever failed to rise to the occasion?" Neville asked.

"Well, it always seems like the right thing to do," Harry admitted, feeling a bit uncomfortable.

"Well, this feels like the right thing to do to me," Neville replied with a nod of his head.

"By working yourself half to death?" Harry asked. Neville had the decency to look sheepish.

"Well, that wasn't part of the plan. But I need to be better, I can't let them down," he said, his resolve solid.

"Let's get you down to the dorm, all the same. You can't even stand up straight," Harry said. He hefted Neville's arm over his shoulder and helped him to the door. "Man, those stairs are going to be a pain," he grumbled, making his way to the dorm.

"Wow, Potter, heard you and Weaslbee got into a spat, but you sure find a new boyfriend really quick," Malfoy called out. Harry simply rolled his eyes. "Hey Potter, I am talking to you!" he shouted, but Harry continued to ignore him. He had more pressing matters to attend to, like the moving stairs.

"Harry, what are you doing?" asked Ginny, looking over at him. Harry gave a nervous grin at her.

"Just helping Neville get back to the dorm. He wore himself out practicing today," he said, mentally gulping. After Ron had gotten into the fight, he wasn't sure how the rest of the family would react.

"Right, so any idea what happened to my brother?" Ginny asked, crossing her arms

"Which one? I heard Charlie was coming back for a while," he said, unable to stop the nervous grin from spreading over his face.

"No, you know the one you had all your adventures with? The one who is currently residing in the hospital wing?" she asked.

"Well, um, you see. I lost my temper with him and yelled at him for getting into a fight with Leo. Not sure of the details on it, but well, we are all going to be serving some time in detention," he said, trying to keep things to a bare minimum.

"About time," she said, walking with the pair and taking Neville's other arm. "All he's been nagging about was you. I thought he needed a good beating. I just think it would have meant more if it was you who had put him in the hospital."

"Ouch," Neville said, trying to move away from Ginny.

"Yeah, that sounded better in my head," she admitted. "But, to be honest, someone had to call him out on it. Half the house can see this for what it is. And we are just trying to support you," she said, giving Harry a light smile.

"Really?" he said, a smile flashing on his lips.

"Kinda. Some think the threats died with the diary in second year," Neville replied. Ginny shot him a dirty look. "Not that I believe them, Harry. You're too good of a guy," he said, smiling at his friend helping him up the stairs.

"It's no big deal, I'm just worried. Ron's one of my best friends. I don't much like the idea of Leo chasing him off." He glanced over at Ginny. "Good intentions or otherwise, I don't need any more problems," he said with a grunt.

"You can't seem to catch a break, can you?" asked Neville as they made their way up another stair.

"It can get tiring," he admitted, his mind replaying what he had learned about dragons. "So, what do you know about dragons?" he asked nonchalantly.

"Um, plants are more my thing. So, not much," Neville admitted.

"Dragons are big fire-breathing reptiles. Despite their breath, they are cold blooded and typically lay about five eggs at one time. Normally, only about one or two actually hatch. Only one can hope to reach adulthood," Ginny said proudly. Harry glanced past Neville at her. "I had a phase," she admitted, a blush stealing across her cheeks.

"Right, any spells that might affect them?" he asked.

"Well, it's been a while but dragons are difficult. Even a group of fully trained wizards have trouble handling them. Why the sudden interest?" Ginny asked.

"I got a hint that I might be dealing with dragons for the first task. I'm not sure exactly how, but I have bad feeling that beating or taming it is out of the question," he replied.

"Yeah, if anything, you will have to take something from a dragon, seeing as they hoard fiercely. Or something along the lines of avoiding or getting around it. Not even someone like Krum could fight one on his own," Ginny replied.

"So, how do you know so much about dragons?" Neville asked, looking at the redhead.

"Dragons are cool, leave it at that," she said, glancing at him with a look that said 'drop it'.

"Yes, Ma'am," Neville replied as they finally reached the top of Gryffindor tower. Neville gave the password to the Fat Lady and they shuffled through the opening. Harry set him down on the couch and groaned in relief.

"If you want, I could get a few of my books on dragons. It's all basic stuff," she admitted, glancing away from him.

"Anything would be helpful. Maybe I can find something that can scare them off," Harry said with a chuckle.

"Give me a second," she said, scurrying off.

"You know, she is a lot different with you around," Neville said, raising his head from the back of the couch.

"What do you mean?" Harry asked, glancing at the stairs to the girls dorm.

"Well, she's normally really tough. I mean, living in a house full of boys, I guess she would be but nobody messes with her."

"With who?" Ginny asked, all but leaping off the stairs.

"With Hermione. Did you see what she did during her last match?" Neville asked, glancing at Harry with a bit of fear in his eyes. Harry felt his brow furrow a bit, but went along with it.

"Yeah, I hear Malfoy is terrified of her," Harry added. A flash of suspicion crossed Ginny's face but it was only for a second.

"So, here you are," she said, handing Harry a very old and worn book. "Don't lose it, it's very important to me, okay," she said. A flash of fear entered his mind when he realized that she wasn't going to let go of it right away. Harry nodded and she released her grip on it. He opened the book and glanced at the table of contents.

"Wow, that's a lot of dragons," he said, setting the book down on the table.

"Yeah," she said, licking her finger and flipping through a few pages until she reached a chapter titled 'General Information'. She took her time, reading each as if in search of something. "Ah, here it is," she said, pointing to a paragraph.

"'All dragons have a natural dislike of bunnies.' Bunnies?" he asked, glancing at Ginny.

"They're not afraid of them, if that's what you are thinking. They actually go after them with a blind determination," she explained.

"I see where you are going with this. It would be a perfect distraction," he said with a smile.

"Of course that is where I was going with it," she said, staring at him owlishly. Her odd behavior didn't faze him. "That leaves an option on Transfiguration," he said. Perhaps he could ask Professor McGonagall about this.

"You don't mind if I look this book over, do you?" Harry asked, hoping to find more options.

"Sure, I have some homework. Would you mind the company?" she asked, her voice trailing off.

"Not at all, I could always use some company," he said, smiling as her freckles vanished under a red blush again. 'Weird', he thought to himself. He heard some light snoring and they realized that Neville had drifted off to sleep.

Harry created a mental list of dragon aversions as he looked over the book. Water was a rather obvious one, blind spots located behind and above, plus places where a dragon was a bit more vulnerable to jinxes and stunning spells.

"Trouble is, I have no idea what I am dealing with or where I am going to be at. Or even what kind of dragon I will be facing," Harry grumbled as the portrait hole opened up and Ron walked in.

"Hagrid wants to see you," Ron said in a beaten tone as he glanced at Harry. And with that, Harry and Ginny watched him walk to his dorm.

"I think Leo shook him up a bit," Ginny said, watching her brother disappear.

"I hope he is alright," Harry said.

"He's used to it, he's just trying to guilt you," Ginny said, waving it off. "He's just mad that you get to do what he wishes he could do."

"Harsh much?" he asked. She glanced at him out of the corner of his eye.

"You are way too nice," she said with a smile.

"Not really," Harry muttered.

"I beg to differ," Hermione said, climbing through the portrait hole.

"If there is someone with patience for him," Harry said, more to himself. But Ginny couldn't help but nod as well. Hermione glanced at both of them.

"Homework," Ginny replied, holding up her book. Hermione nodded, clearly half asleep.

"Sometimes, I wonder why I put up with him," she sighed, heading to her dorm.

"That's million Galleon question," Ginny said.

"Shouldn't you support family?" Harry asked, glancing at her. He pointed in a random direction, unsure of where he should be pointing.

"I have my favorites; Ron needs to man up and he won't get any help from me until he does so," Ginny said, giving a strong nod of her head.

"Harsh," Harry thought to himself.

"That's why I like you, nothing scares you," she said, smiling ever so slightly.

"I wouldn't go that far; I just hide it very well," Harry admitted. She seemed shocked at that addition.

"But you are facing a dragon, and you're not shaken. You've faced the Dark Lord, a basilisk, even a boggart," she said. "You've never batted an eye, even when you were dying from the venom," she all but blurted out.

"Shh," he hushed, nodding at Neville as he shifted on the couch. "I hide it really well," he admitted. "Everything I have done, I have always done because I wanted to help, but fear has always been there. But I knew in those moments, it was me or nobody else."

"Oh," she said, glancing down at her book. "Look, I am going to head to bed. I'll see you around," she said, standing up. Harry glanced down at his book, only for something soft to touch the side of his face. He turned only to see Ginny vanish up the stairs. He reached out, but lowered his hand after a second.

* * *

><p><strong>So, Ron and Leo got their butts kicked. Way to go guys... But maybe now Ron will start shaping up. Anyways next chapter is on it's way! <strong>

**~LE**


	34. Working Out the Kinks

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything of this story. Harry Potter and all of the notable characters belong to J.K. Rowling.**

* * *

><p><span>Magnolia Crescent<span>

Chapter Thirty-Four

Woking Out the Kinks

The next morning at breakfast, Harry sat with Ginny and Neville. Much to his surprise, Hermione wasn't straying from Ron's side.

"Do you want me to kick his arse, Harry?" Ginny offered, seeing the distracted look on his face.

"No, just let it go," he replied, turning back to his eggs and toast.

"There's no classes; do you have anything planned for today?" Neville asked, picking at his plate.

"Not really, I'm still trying to figure out what the details for the first task are going to be. Or rather, how I prepare for it," Harry said.

"Oh," Neville said, his face dropping.

"Why, did you have something in mind?" Ginny asked, glancing at the nervous boy beside her.

"In a way," he replied. "I was hoping one of you could help me practice for the tournament. I'm getting better," he added, his face brightening, "but I'd like to know where I could improve more."

"I'd be glad to help you, Neville," Ginny said brightly. Neville smiled weakly, clearing wishing Harry had been free. "Hey, my mum gave me a bit of pocket change. Do you guys want to go to Hogsmeade with me this afternoon?"

Harry jumped at the offer. "Anything to get away from the castle and its unwelcoming atmosphere," he said.

"Meet you guys at lunch?" Ginny said, jumping up from her seat. The boys nodded before she raced out of the hall.

"Where is she headed to in a hurry?" Harry asked, watching her go.

"Probably to meet with Dean or hang out with Luna. It's girl stuff, how should I know?" Neville asked. "I just hope she helps me with my spells."

"Don't worry; Ginny is very good at keeping her word," Harry assured. Neville nodded, finishing off his breakfast. Harry gathered up his things and headed for the library. Much to his surprise, the library was mostly empty when he arrived. He selected a few books on dragon lore and settled at a corner table.

Most of the information was all stuff he had found in Ginny's book. Before long, he found himself thinking over what this year had brought him. A grouchy friend and an entry into a tournament he didn't even want. With a grumbling sigh, he shook off that train of thought and pulled a sheet of parchment closer to him. After dipping a quill in a pot of ink, he began to list out all of a dragon's weaknesses. When he finished with that list, he thought of different spells that might be able to help him.

After a few moments of thought on the second list, Harry stood to return his dragon books. Instead, he pulled a few books off the shelf for Charms. His own Charms book was in his dorm but he didn't feel like going to grab it. There didn't seem to be much Harry deemed useful.

He was looking back over his list when his stomach gave a loud grumble. He glanced up at the clock on the wall and realized that it was already after noon. The lunch dishes would be clearing up soon. He hurried to pack up his books before heading down for a bite to eat.

Harry frowned when he failed to see Ginny or Neville at the Gryffindor table.

"Are you looking for the two you ate breakfast with?" a female voice asked. Harry glanced up to see Laryl, the American he had met a few weeks ago.

"Yeah, how'd you guess?" Harry replied, giving her a curious stare as he started to fill his plate.

"You had a searching look on your face," she explained. "But the both of them have already been here and gone."

"I figured as much. Lunch is nearly over anyways," Harry said, giving a small shrug.

"So, is there always this much hostility between the houses?" Laryl asked.

"Yeah, pretty much," Harry said, taking a drink of his pumpkin juice.

"Why?"

"Come again?" Harry asked, setting down his goblet and glancing at the American.

"Why are you guys so angry with each other?" she clarified.

"Actually, I'm not quite sure," he mused. "What's really strange is that I'm really good friends with a Slytherin." He shrugged. "So your friend is in the tournament as well, correct?"

"Yeah, I'm not too thrilled about it, but he's fairly excited. So I don't want to dampen his mood too much," she replied.

"What are you doing in your free time here at Hogwarts?"

"Oh, Zach and I fly over the Quidditch pitch. I have to keep up on my skill, seeing as I'm a Chaser back in America," she said proudly, puffing out her chest.

"Sweet. Perhaps we could go fly some weekend. I'm supposed to be a Seeker on Gryffindor's team but I doubt I'll get to fly this year," Harry said, polishing off his lunch.

"Why not?" Laryl said with a shrug. "Give me someone else to best on the field."

"Wait, you're not thinking you're better than me, are you?" Harry asked, raising an eyebrow at her.

"Uh, yeah," she replied. "I'm the best there is. I'm surprised I'm not on a professional Quidditch team already."

"We'll see about that," he said, standing from the table. "Next Saturday after lunch. Meet you on the field?"

"You're on," she agreed, giving him a solid stare. "Just don't get your hopes up." Harry nodded, giving her a challenging look before heading out of the Great Hall. He was planning on dropping off his bag before finding Ginny and Neville. Maybe if he was lucky, he could find Hermione and get her opinion on usable Charms for the first task. In fact, he was quite lucky as he found her on the stairs.

"Hermione, just the girl I was looking for," Harry said, picking up his pace as he approached his friend.

"There you are. Where were you? We didn't see you at lunch," she asked, her eyes narrowing a bit.

"What's with the interrogation?" Harry asked, a little hurt but she didn't reply. "I was in the library and was hoping you had some Charms that would be useful against dragons," he admitted.

"Look, if you don't want to tell me, fine," Hermione sighed. "You and Ron have a few things to discuss," she added. Harry was speechless and just blinked at her. "Look, I have put up with this for far too long. And with Leo and Ron fighting in the halls, I've had enough."

"But I already have plans. We were going to Hogsmeade," Harry protested.

"Harry, this is something you need to do," she urged.

"No, going after Ginny was something I had to do. Warning about the troll was something I had to do. Proving Sirius was innocent was something I had to do. Apologizing to Ron because he doesn't believe me is not something I have to do," he said with a huff.

"Please?" she asked, looking up at Harry.

"Fine," he growled, realizing how it was for Hermione to rein him in. He was still frowning as Hermione sighed.

"We can do it at Hogsmeade," Hermoine relented.

"So, about those Charms?" Harry asked, giving a small nod.

"Later," she said, a small smirk gracing her lips

The group reformed in the courtyard with Ginny, Luna and Neville already waiting. Leo trailed in, glancing up at the clock tower. It wasn't long until Ron showed up as well. He glared at Leo who seemed more interested in everything else.

Ginny cleared her throat, garnering everyone's attention. "I didn't know we had others joining us," she said nonchalantly, glaring at Ron and Leo in turn. Ron clearly knew his sister well for this failed to bother him but Leo cringed. Her look was chastising enough, even for Harry. But then her face suddenly brightened, smiling at the group around her. "Shall we?"

"Umm," Neville said, tapping Ginny's arm. "Are you okay?" he asked, looking at her nervously.

"Great," she replied. "I'm just giving you a hard time, Leo."

"Yeah, great…," Leo said quietly. Everyone was quiet for a few moments until Luna spoke up.

"Are we ready to go to Hogsmeade? I could really go for some Fizzing Whizbees," she said wistfully, rocking back and forth on her toes a bit. The others agreed and they headed down the sloping grounds to the main gates. After they made it to High Street, Luna practically dragged them to Honeyduke's. Harry followed after her, returning shortly thereafter with a bag of Ice Mice.

"Ooh, those are perfect for a hot summer day!" Neville exclaimed, accepting one when Harry offered.

"How so? Chocolate melts in the heat," Harry said with a frown.

"You've never had Ice Mice?" Ginny demanded, staring at him with a shell-shocked expression. Harry shook his head, staring at her incredulously. "Well, what are you waiting for? Try one!"

Harry picked up one of the chocolate mice and nibbled at it. Immediately, his teeth began to chatter and a squeaking sound escaped him. Neville began emitting the same sounds and when Harry glanced over, he noticed that Neville's Ice Mice was nearly gone.

"S-so, t-the I-ice M-mice h-have t-this e-effect?" he asked, teeth still chattering though he was hardly cold. Ginny nodded, looked positively pleased with herself.

"Wee!" Luna called, gathering the group's attention. They glanced over to see her floating a few inches off the ground. "This is fun!"

"I want a Fizzing Whizbee now," Leo groaned, having not entered the shop with Luna and Harry.

"So, go get one," Ginny said simply. "We haven't gone far." There was a small note of sadness in her voice. Harry knew that she might have some pocket change but it wasn't much and Ginny probably had her eyes set on a bigger prize. Just as he was about to offer her a few coins, Leo caught her hand and dragged her with him back to Honeyduke's.

"What are you doing?!" she demanded, digging her heels into the ground. When Leo stopped, she slammed her foot down on his and wrenched her hand free. "What was that all about?"

"You seemed like you were debating between getting some candy or not," Leo explained. "I figured I'd take the decision away and buy something for you. The least I could do to apologize for beating up your brother." He shrugged.

"He deserved it," Ginny said childishly, crossing her arms.

"Free candy?" Leo offered, smiling sheepishly.

"I wouldn't," Harry warned. "I'd be surprised if she accepted." Ginny frowned, clearly debating with herself. On one hand, she really did want some candy. On the other hand, she really didn't want to accept a handout. Especially from a Slytherin. Leo watched her carefully as she weighed her options. She really did want some Honeyduke's candy, she finally decided, sighing as she nodded to Leo.

"Finally," he nearly shouted in triumph, dragging Ginny towards Honeyduke's once more. They returned a few minutes later with candy in hand – Ginny with some Glacial Snow Flakes and Leo carrying a mixed bag of Fizzing Whizbees and Sugar Quills. Harry noted that Ginny kept looking towards the ground and a small amount of color was on her cheeks. And everyone else either failed to notice or was smart enough to stay quiet about it.

Without a word, they continued down High Street. They spent most of the walk discussing the dueling club and how things had been in the few weeks since Harry resigned. Ginny had been helping Neville in their spare time and he had been improving quite nicely.

"Excellent," Harry said, grinning over at his fellow Gryffindor. "I knew you'd be a perfect replacement." Neville smiled sheepishly, ducking his head to avoid Harry's gaze. They were just turning towards an empty park when Hermione ran up after them.

"Harry!" she called, huffing when she came to a stop. He assumed that she had run all the way from the other end of High Street.

"Hermione, where did we lose you and Ron?" he asked, noticing Ron was no longer with them. She paused for a second to catch her breath before speaking.

"I held Ron back outside of Honeyduke's to ask a question. Can we all go to the Three Broomsticks and have a butterbeer?" she asked, giving Harry a pleading look. Harry nodded, noticing that Leo was scowling.

"It might be about the dueling club as well," Harry said, tugging on Leo's sleeve. He growled before following them down the street. He insticintively stiffened when he saw Ron sitting at a table inside the pub.

"Should've figured," he grumbled, stuffing his hands into his pockets. Harry elbowed him in the ribs.

"Leo, I think he's trying to work everything out," Harry said quietly.

"Fat chance of that happening," Ginny mumbled.

"Can we at least try?" Hermione moaned, stopping in the doorway and facing everyone. It was Leo and Ginny her stare pierced the most. They nodded glumly and motioned for her to lead them in. She sighed, leading them to the table and gathering a head count for a butterbeer order. No one said a word until her and Luna came back with the drinks.

"So what are we all doing here anyways?" Ron grumbled, slouching down in his chair.

"We've been at each other's throats since Harry got accepted into the Triwizard Tournament," Hermione explained. Ron opened his mouth to argue but Hermione quickly cut him off with a glare. He grumbled as he slumped back into his seat. "And it's not good; we just need to get it out of the way and go back to being friends."

"How is that gonna happen?" Leo asked calmly.

"We are going to talk," Hermione said plainly, giving the group a stern gaze. This time, no one bothered to question her.

"I don't want to talk," Ron said with a frown.

"What is there to talk about?" Leo asked. "I kicked his arse after he hit me in the back and I am still willing to stick with the dueling club. What's the big deal?" he said with a shrug.

"You did not kick my arse," Ron growled, shooting up from his seat. Hermione stood, putting a hand in front of the boys to keep them from moving. But Leo didn't even bother to stand up.

"Leo, stop instigating," she said, glaring at him.

"How about we get this out of the way? I am not the problem, I just dragged it up," he said, glancing over at Ron.

A silent understanding crossed everyone's mind. Harry glanced at Ron as Leo stood up. "I'm getting something to eat," he replied, walking off.

"Ron, you and Hermione have always been around me. You should know I would never withhold information from you," Harry said, looking up at Ron.

"And we always get involved. It's hard to think that you wouldn't keep the pace up and you always seem to pull something off. It's hard to be convinced that you don't have an ace up your sleeve," Ron said. "Things just work out too damn well."

"I had no reason. I only stick my neck out if it's for the right reasons. I already have fame and glory. The whole mess with the Death Eaters should have made it clear. Anyone could have wanted my name in that cup just to try and get me killed," Harry reasoned.

"You have survived more than any one person could have already. Who would be dumb enough to think this contest would have anything that could kill you, especially with Dumbledore and all the other teachers right there, ready to step in? Out of everything, this seems like a walk in the park compared to everything else," Ron retorted.

"That's a fair point," Harry admitted, inclining his head. Ron balked when Harry realized that he was in far less danger than anything else he had jumped into.

"Ron, when have you ever known Harry to be a glory hound?" Hermione asked. Ron opened his mouth, but closed it after a second.

"Never," he admitted with a sigh. "Harry has never stood up to try and take fame." He slumped his shoulders.

Harry let out a sigh of relief at that understanding. "So, can we be friends again?" he asked, holding out his hand. Ron let a small sigh escape his lips before shaking hands with Harry.

"Well, it's about time," Leo shouted, slamming a fresh round of butterbeer on the table. The liquid sloshed as everyone grabbed a mug and downed it in massive gulps. Harry felt a massive grin on his face while they all sat down and chatted away. All was right with the world once again.

"So, then he's halfway down the road, skidding away as his broom jammed straight up in a bush. He ran home with his pants so shredded, you could see his bare arse hanging out of his britches," Leo said while everyone laughed at the joke.

* * *

><p><strong>Looks like Ron finally got his crap together. Way to go, Hermione! As always, R&amp;R and we'll be back soon with the next chapter!<strong>

**~LE**


	35. Windigos

****Disclaimer: I do not own anything of this story. Harry Potter and all of the notable characters belong to J.K. Rowling.****

* * *

><p><span>Magnolia Crescent<span>

Chapter Thirty-Five

Windigos

Ron watched as everyone filed out, chatting away happily. Harry had just turned the corner when Leo stepped out into the doorway, slamming his hand not too far away from Ron.

"Look, we are all friends again, what is your deal?" Ron said, glaring at him.

"I am sorry; the back of my head still hurts a bit. But we are not friends. I am Harry's friend and he is a damn better one than you deserve, considering how much you have shit on him. But I think that is his choice. Pull this crap again and they will need to stitch you back together. Clear?" Leo asked, glaring right back at Ron.

"Clear," Ron said, swallowing.

"Good, let's get going. Don't want to be left behind," he said, snapping into a smile before he turned around. Ron tightened his fist for a second before releasing them. He stood there for a second longer, his shoulders slumping.

"Ron, let's go!" Harry shouted. Ron took a deep breath before following them out on the street.

"So, the next I know, poor Leo is on his back and Harry is doubled over laughing," Neville said, as the group laughed at his joke.

"Next time, how about I defend myself and we go a few rounds," Leo said but the smile betrayed his words.

"I could start the count now, or how about after you get landed on your back," Luna asked as everyone kept laughing.

"So glad to see everyone is getting along," a familiar voice said. The laughter died when they saw a very cross Professor McGonagall.

"I got a feeling, getting involved is going to hurt our standings again," Neville said in a low voice.

"Seems so," Harry whispered back.

"Hush, the lot of you. I am severely disappointed – brawling in the hall like a bunch of hooligans. The lot of you!" she cried out, causing everyone nearby to wince at her words.

"Professor," Ron said. Her cold gaze switched over to him. "It was my fault, I started the fight. Harry, Hermione and Luna were just trying to break it up. They were just doing the right thing," he said.

"I understand, but this is not something you cannot just own up to now. I have been required to put all of you in detention. Except for Miss Weasley and Mr. Longbottom, of course. Thankfully, you two were not involved. However, for the rest of you."

"I understand," Harry said, nodding his head.

"The three of you shall be staying with me after dinner for the next five weeks. Miss Lovegood and Mr. Holmes will be serving detention with their respective Heads of House. You are to start reporting Monday, are we clear?" she explained. They all nodded, expecting McGonagall to take her leave. But she continued to stand there. They didn't say anything as their good mood had just been destroyed.

"I got Professor Snape," Leo said with a gulp. Everyone looked at him as he took a deep breath.

"Good luck," Harry said, glancing up at McGonagall. "We'll be there."

"Detention," Hermione said, her eyes appearing to be frozen open. "Please tell me we are not going into the Forbidden Forest again," she said, finally looking at everyone else.

"Heavens, no. Dear child, where would you get such an idea?" McGonagall asked.

"The last time I had detention, I served it with Hagrid," Hermione explained.

"We really do need to get these things standardized," the professor said with a sigh. "Nothing life threatening, Miss Granger. But I do hope I won't have to hear about any more trouble between any of you," she said, scanning the group.

"I don't think fighting will be a problem, but I can't make any promises," Harry said with a weak smile. A sigh escaped McGonagall's lips.

"I guess that's all I can hope for. Well, head back to the school. Dinner should be very soon," she said, mumbling under her breath. She seemed to age a bit after the conversation was over.

Monday detention came and Hermione, Ron and Harry grudgingly walked into McGonagall's office. She looked at them with the level of professionalism expected of her.

"Please, sit near the front," she instructed as she finished writing something on a piece of parchment. They all did as told, afraid of doing anything wrong. After another moment, McGonagall slammed a massive book down in front of Ron.

"What is all this?" he asked in surprise.

"That would be a history on Charms, Mr. Weasley. No spells, just history. I will be quizzing you on it at the end of each day. It also has a nice spell so the page will change every two and a half minutes. So, I do hope you read fast as it will be graded," she said, trying hard to hide a small smirk. Ron looked up at her in horror. "I suggest you get started."

He flipped open the book – his Charms grades weren't all that good to begin with. "As for you, Miss Granger, I would like you to just sit there and do nothing," McGonagall said. Hermione's look of horror nearly mirrored that of Ron. McGonagall turned to Harry with a calm gaze. "Get up Mr. Potter and prepare to defend yourself."

Harry had barely enough time to whip out his wand and utter a Shield Charm. "This is not what I had in mind for detention," Harry said as McGonagall towered over him.

"Potter, stand straight and keep your posture loose. As important as each challenge is, Potter, you only need to survive. Am I clear, Mr. Potter? No unnecessary risks!" she shouted, easily knocking him to the floor. Hermione and Ron both glanced at him with wide eyes. Harry was the best duelist in their group and he had just been dropped like a fly.

Harry lifted a chair up with his wand just in time to see it splinter into pieces. He flinched back, stumbling past a table as it flipped into the air.

"Mr. Potter, I would not recommend showing a dragon your backside," she said, flicking her wand. Harry felt a burn hit his rear. "You're like to get it fried."

Harry pushed one of the desks up for cover while he regained his wits and composure. "Well, are we just going to sit there or are you going to do something productive?" she asked. Harry slowly looked up. "Honestly, Mr. Potter, it's a wonder you are still in one piece. Don't you plan anything out when dealing with your foes?" she asked, pointing her wand down at him.

"Sorry, Professor," Harry said as her spell shattered his shield spell.

"Potter, stop being such a door mat and fight back when you are getting shot at!" McGonagall cried out in exasperation. "Don't think that means I want to see you back next week for starting a fight!" she said, looking at him with a critical eye.

"_Stupify_!" he cried out, sending a spell at her.

"Much better," she said with a calm voice. She flicked her wand and his own spell came back at him. "But not near good enough if you want to face the other Champions."

Harry spun onto his back as pain shot into his body. "Give me a basilisk any day," he groaned, rolling on his hands and knees.

"We're only five minutes in, Mr. Potter. There's still fifty-five more minutes to go," she said as Harry looked up at her. "Mr. Weasley, I think you have more important things to be looking at," she said, smiling as the sound of papers shifted in the air.

"Ouch," Harry groaned, pushing on the door an hour later. Ron walked past him and pushed the door open before Harry stumbled through.

"Have a good night and do try to be on time. No unnecessary risks, am I clear, Mr. Potter?" McGonagall said with a straight face. "You are forced to play but not to win," she reminded.

"Yes, Professor," he groaned out.

"She did a number on you," Ron said. Harry just glanced up at him.

"Your understanding of the obvious is second to none, Ron," he snapped, his patience clearly gone. Ron only grinned.

"Well, at least she is trying to prepare you and is pointing out some obvious facts. No matter how good you are, Harry, extra practice is always needed. Be thankful for it," Hermione said. Harry glared at her.

"You traitor," he growled.

"Sorry, you probably don't want to hear that right now," she admitted. He raised an eyebrow at her. "Or ever, fine," she admitted. "I wish she wasn't so hard on you. That is going to sting in the morning. I could always practice some healing and pail alleviation spells," she offered.

"That would work," Harry said, already looking forward to it. "Sadly, I wish we had more time. The first task is right around the corner and I still don't have much of an idea on what to do," Harry admitted.

"Speaking of which, Hagrid wants to talk with you. Did you ever go see when I said so the last time?" Ron said. Harry blinked, unsure of when that had been. "It was shortly after the fight."

"Oh, that," Harry said sheepishly, scratching at the back of his head. He had honestly forgotten about that with everything that had gone on that day.

"You should probably head down there and see him. He said to make sure you bring your cloak, so it's probably going to be a late night thing," Ron said. "It's about the first task," he said in a low voice.

"I kind of figured," Harry whispered back. "Thanks," he said with a smile. But Ron just gave him a weak smirk before looking away.

"When do I need to go see him?" Harry asked.

"Well, tonight would be a good idea," Ron said, glancing down. Harry stopped and frowned. "Well, you see, I was hoping to use it to cheer you up after detention," he said. Harry pinched the bridge of nose as the two boys headed to their dormitory. He grabbed his cloak and looked at his bed in longing.

"I need a vacation," he grumbled. Ron clapped him on the shoulder before sitting on his bed. Harry threw the cloak over himself and headed back down the very long flight of stairs. He met Hagrid at his cottage and gave him a very tired look.

"'Arry, you look dead on yer feet. What have you gotten into this time?" he asked.

"Detention was a lot easier with you," Harry said. "Let's just say Professor McGonagall felt I needed some dueling lessons. You look different as well. Is that cologne?" Harry asked.

"Aye, and I combed my hair. Maybe you should try it now and again," he said in a gruff tone. Harry rolled his eyes, not nearly awake enough to question the odd behavior.

"Maybe, so I take it this has to do with the first task?" Harry asked. Hagrid stayed quiet for a few seconds.

"Aye, when word got to me about dragons, it was a kind idea for them to let me in on it. Thanks to Norbert," he said, pausing when he seemed to get a bit teary-eyed. "So, they told where they were keeping them, thanks to Ron and Mrs. Weasley."

"Which led to showing me?" Harry asked.

"That and one other. Make sure you keep yer cloak on," Hagrid warned.

Harry walked away, thinking back on the dragons. He kept his eye on the castle, taking a deep breath under his cloak when he suddenly tackled.

"I got you!" a voice shouted while he fell on his back. His hand went for his wand but he glanced up to see Luna sitting on him with a bigger grin than normal.

Harry tossed the cloak aside and her smile vanished. "Oh," she said in clear disappointment. "I was hoping you were a Windigo," she said. Harry just gave her an owlish look.

"What are doing here? The Forbidden forest is forbidden and dangerous," Harry said, looking up at her.

"Only to first years," she said, pausing for a second. "It's dangerous here?" she asked, tilting her head to the side.

"Well, it's way past curfew. You shouldn't be out here searching for anything," he said.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

"Hagrid needed help with something," Harry said quickly, having practiced his lie.

"_Always good to have a cover story_," Sirius had said over his vacation.

"You were cheating, weren't you?" she asked with a smile.

"Yes," he admitted, dropping his head back down.

"I won't tell anyone," she said, placing a finger on her lips.

"Harry?" a voice called. Harry turned to see a centaur standing over them.

"Firenze?" he asked, looking up at the half man, half horse."

"I knew that some young couple mated in the Forbidden forest, but I would think you would know better. The Shrieking Shack, with its former occupant, would be much safer," he said. Harry looked at Luna and then down to realize that she was sitting on his waist and that a good portion of their lower halves were covered by the cloak. His face went red.

"No, we weren't. I swear," Harry said, his ears burning.

"Nothing to be ashamed of, Mr. Potter, but I would advise on taking it someplace else," he replied with a shrug as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

"Luna, say something," he stammered out, looking at her.

"Do you have a condom?" she asked with a straight face. Harry feel back, giving up on the endeavor to save them.

"I have to admit that your human culture is so odd. But I would recommend heading out – this is not a safe place to be," he reminded, shifting his head as if listening to something while his silver blonde hair fell to one side.

"Something wrong?" Harry asked.

"No, but as of late, I have heard a strange rhythm from the lake. Nothing worrisome, but it is so odd," he admitted. "Probably just some student. Well, I shall leave you with this fair maiden and be off, but do try to be careful, Mr. Potter, as well as in the Tournament."

"Thank you," Harry said, inclining his head. The centaur did the same before trotting of as quickly as he came. He watched him vanish before looking up at Luna. "You can get off," he said, raising an eyebrow at her.

"Ah, but I was just getting comfortable," she said, biting her lip. Harry felt his face flush again. But she got up, clearly unruffled by the series of events.

"Well, I need to be back up to the school. Care to join me?" Harry asked,

"I don't think I'll find that Windigo," she admitted. "I think all the noise you made scared it off," she admitted.

"Or because you tackled me?" Harry asked.

"Possible, but highly unlikely. You were talking very loud," she said with a nod of her head.

"There is just no winning with you," Harry surmised.

"Nope, but you do find it amusing all the same," she said. Harry felt his feet stop. She paused and glanced back at him. "Are you coming?" she asked.

"Yeah, let's get moving. Do you have a way into the school?" he asked.

"The front door," she said without hesitation.

"Without being caught?" he asked. "Look, we can use my invisibility cloak."

"Harry!" she said with a frown while she felt his brow. "What a nice idea, and very thoughtful," she said with a smile.

"Hey, you're stepping on my feet," Harry said, nearly tripping.

"Sorry. Ouch, watch the hair," she said. Harry readjusted his grip on the cloak while they made it back to the castle.

"Sorry, this is so weird. We never did this before with someone not used to it," Harry admitted.

"Huh?" Luna asked, glancing back at him.

"Well, Hermione, Ron and I used this to get around when we were younger. Guess we got used to stumbling around."

"Ah, maybe we could practice. This is so cool. Have you ever gone into another House's dorm?" she asked.

"Well, um, maybe," he all but admitted.

"Cool, this was so much fun. I see why Hermione likes hanging out with you," she said. "I would say this would make you a bad boy for all the right reasons. But be careful, Harry, that could ruin your reputation."

* * *

><p><strong>Sorry that this chapter took so long. We've both been very busy lately. Please forgive us?<br>**

**Anyways, R&R to let us know what you thought!**

**~LE**


	36. Challenges

Magnolia Crescent

Chapter Thirty-Six

Challenges

Harry shook off the haze in his mind, clutching onto the golden egg he had snatched from the dragon. He felt his legs hit the ground, but he was so far up in cloud nine after his stunt that he didn't even notice when he was walking into the Champions tent. He glanced up, noticing that Krum, Fleur and Cedric went wide-eyed when they saw the egg under his arm.

"So, seems like the test was not as hard as they made it out to be," Krum said, glancing at the broom under Harry's arm before relaxing into the bench.

"And next up is Zachary Jackson, representing the Salem Witches Institute of America!" an announcer roared. Harry closed his eyes, remembering how unhappy Sirius had been when he found out that Harry still didn't have a plan.

_"Harry, if there is one thing a trouble maker always has, it's a plan. Look, use a skill. What are you good at?" Sirius asked._

_ "I can only – " he started, realizing that he had formed a plan._

And with that, Harry had a plan. He summoned his broom and used it to get the egg. It was simple but not quite as smooth as he would have hoped. But he was still in one piece so it had worked out well enough.

"I just hope that nutty woman leaves me alone," he mused to himself. Rita Skeeter had really been getting to him. Sirius said that he would have a talk with (him/her) on the matter later. But with the last minute pic with Hermione, things were starting to get uncomfortable. His face felt a little warm to be honest; he liked Hermione, but not in that way.

"So, how did you do it?" Krum asked. "I thought using a broom wasn't allowed."

"I used a summoning spell. Once it starts up, anything goes – as long as you enter with your wand only," Harry replied.

"Ah, I wish I had thought of that. My spell caused some damage on the dragon. That'll probably dock me some points," he admitted.

"I did zome rezerch. In most cazes, these are only for ze plazing. Ze pointz are not az important az one would think, but they are helpful," Fleur explained.

"So, as long as you show up, you are good?" Harry asked, considering the idea of doing nothing for the next task.

"No, the less pointz you have, the longer you wait at the ze end. So, it is best to get as many as you can. But ze final text is the most important," Fleur replied.

"Why? Don't tell me you don't plan on giving your all," Cedric asked. Harry recalled giving him a hint on the dragon as well.

"Of course not. But knowing that is good if you find yourself in a risky situation," Harry replied. "I really don't care who wins as long as I make it out alive."

"What iz ze the worst that could happen?" Fleur asked. "You got out in one piece – what could happen to ze rezt of us?" she asked.

"AHHHHHHHH!" The massive scream cut over a gasping crowd. The other three Champions jumped to their feet.

Harry could still hear low screams as a group of wizards rushed by. He saw Zach clutching at his shoulder. Blood dripped stained his red and white tournament shirt. Brom sat him down and pulled his wand out of his robes. After a moment, the blood flow stopped and he urged Zach to eat something.

"All right, everyone, clear out," Bagman said, beginning to urge everyone out of the tent. "No cameras – the boy is going to be just fine but we need everyone out."

Harry glanced at Zach, horrified to see that his right arm was completely gone. He glanced up, but didn't notice anyone while Brom seemed to cast a spell. Zach closed his eyes, falling in on himself while the other Champions were pushed out of the tent.

"I zeem to 'ave spoken too soon. I 'ope he is alright," Fleur said.

"I am not feeling so good about all this," Krum said. Cedric, however, remained silent.

"Well, if there ever was a time to have a life and death situation, at least he had someone to pick him back up," Harry said. Fleur looked at him in horror.

"It would be better if there hadn't been ze situation in ze first place!" she cried out. Harry just glanced up at her.

"I see your point," Cedric said, having been familiar with some of things that had been said about Harry in the past few years.

"Now then, my young Champions, we are going to be having a meeting in the same room where we met and had the Wand Weighing ceremony. Make sure each of you are there; we have a few things that need to be discussed," Bagman said.

"Iz this about – " Fleur asked but she was cut off.

"No, it may be brought up, but for now, get some rest and make sure you are ready to listen," he replied. And with that, he was off.

"I am not so zure about zis anymore," Fleur admitted, hugging herself tightly.

"Harry!" Hermione cried out, catching him outside of the tent and grabbing him in a massive hug.

"That was crazy," Ron said, smiling as Hermione released their friend.

"We saw what happened. That Ridgeback got ahold of his arm and ate it. He had tried a cloaking spell but it didn't work," Hermione explained.

"That's not good – bones are one thing but regrowing an entire arm is still undiscovered magic, Leo commented, biting his lip. Harry couldn't help but frown, knowing the value of the egg. Without it, Zach would be at a bigger disadvantage.

"Harry, um, congratulation," Neville said in a quiet voice.

"Hey, he's breathing and that's what is important – cause my friend Harry here, just had an amazing time and is now moving up in the contest. Let's celebrate!" Ron declared, his smile spreading across the group.

"Bread pudding for all!" Luna cried out. Harry smiled.

"Well, let me know how that works out," Leo said. "I have detention to get to," he admitted, walking off with his hands shoved into his robes.

"Well, they can't really had to the common room, can they?" Ron reminded.

"If you don't tell, I won't," Luna smirked.

"I would rather not get into any more trouble than I already am. As it is, Professor McGonagall is more terrifying than the dragon," Harry said, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Suit yourself," Luna said, her smile slipping into a frown. "No pudding for you," she said with a pout, poking him on the nose.

Harry let out a low yawn the next morning, trying to combat the ringing in his ears. The egg was supposed to give him a clue for the second task, but all it had given him was a headache. Not that all the celebrating they had done last night helped much. Grudgingly, he pushed aside the covers. There was a Champions meeting he needed to get to.

"Well now, bringing you all here was important," Brom said, standing in front of the five Champions. The other three Headmasters were standing to the side. "So far, Zach has been stabilized and he should be well enough to participate in some of the events."

"Zome?" Fleur asked.

"Yes, which leads us to point number two," Brom said, placing his hands behind his back. "Due to the recent additions of both Mister Jackson and Mister Potter, we have had an increased demand for seating on the tournament. So, we are going to be having a few public contests – places where we can have a far greater turnout," he explained.

"Wait, I thought there was only going to be three challenges. How is this going to work?" Cedric asked, raising his hand a bit before realizing it.

"While they will be considered in the points, they are more to, how do you say, spread out the love of the games," Karkaroff explained. "We are setting up one of the events over the Atlantic Ocean and, thanks to the combined governments, will be one of the most secure places. We have agreed to add in a dueling tournament, as well as the first use of Quidditch," he said with a sly smile.

Harry glanced over at Krum. "Can't say how that would be unfair," Harry muttered. Cedric silently nodded his head.

"I would like to talk about security," Dumbledore commented. "It would be simply horrible if this became the second international incident."

"Constant vigilance!" Moody cried out. There was a moment of startled silence. "I shall be monitoring every wizard in the area. Not to mention that the only way in or out will be with Portkey. No false faces this time, and goblins will be adding in a few tricks of their own as well," he added.

"Yes, Harry?" Dumbledore asked, noticing Harry's hand in the air.

"Are we required to participate?" he asked. "I don't feel all that good dueling against students who are so much further in their studies," he said, hoping for a way out since he hadn't wanted to be in the tournament from the beginning.

"Well," Dumbledore began but the back door opened up. "Ah, hello, Zachery," he said. The American walked in, the left sleeve of his cloak stuffed into the pocket.

"Sorry sir, but I was a little slow getting out of bed," he apologized, taking a seat in the back of the group. Harry glanced back at him. He looked pretty bad – enough to fail to notice the look he was getting.

"Well then, it will be taking place in late November. There should be little problem getting everything together. You've got a bit of time; get a team together and practice your dueling. Brom, I expect you will fill in your student," Karkaroff said, looking at the American Headmaster.

"Oh, and I forgot to mention. The two tournaments are going to have a price awarded to the winner. So do bring you're A-game. Of course, there will be rules set; they are floating near the door,"Brom added. Everyone seemed to get a bit more interested.

Harry glanced over at Krum and Fleur. He wasn't sure about her, but the Quidditch portion was almost perfectly built for Krum. It seemed someone was trying to placate at least him, and by extension, Karkaroff. He glanced around, his mind working to find some hidden meaning or motive hidden in all this. And that meant, that whatever was going on, there was a lot more than he could see. Since Sirius had informed him of Karkaroff's former Death Eater position, he was the prime suspect. But he seemed more interested in getting Krum to win, making the contest even more dangerous.

Harry stood as the other Champions walked off, more lost in thought. He had a lot more on his plate, and his mind was pretty spilt. If it wasn't for Hermione, his grades would have already gone down the gutter.

He walked along, his feet blindly moving to his destination. A thundering crowd could be heard even before he even opened up the door to the Dueling Club. The crowd was massive and teachers had begun to put up some stands. Harry glanced up, seeing Ron on the stage. He shouted a spell that Harry couldn't hear over the crowd, keeping his wand up.

"Hi, Harry!" Luna shouted. Harry only just heard her voice.

"Luna, what happened to your eye?" he asked, noticing the black mark over her left eye.

"Oh, well, we haven't been having much luck," she admitted. "One of the Slytherin students got in a lucky shot."

"Ouch," Harry said, glancing up to see Malfoy was Ron's opponent. Ron spun to the ground, landing flat out on the stage. Malfoy threw his hands in the air, waving them to the crowd's roaring approval. Ron slammed his fist on the stage as Hermione tried to help him up. Instead, he ignored her, fuming as Neville took his place.

"I wouldn't," Luna warned, stopping Harry in his tracks. "He may be your friend again, but he's not been very happy since our recent string of losses."

"Did he say anything about it? I could help," Harry offered. Luna put a hand on his shoulder, a smile flitting from her face.

"Harry, you want to help, but Ron is still unhappy with the fact that he's lost one of his best duelists. Not to mention, Hermione hasn't been putting in as much lately," Luna said. Harry nodded in understanding. "Besides, we are still in the championship. This is just wrapping up the season, if you will," she explained.

"Fair enough. I should try and get that egg figured out but I've not been having much luck," he admitted with a sigh.

"Well, between Hermione and Ron, they should be able to help you come up with something. I mean, Hermione's studied everything she could get her hands on. And Ron's grown up with a very big family. He should have something to go on," Luna said off-handedly.

"Ron was never one to pay attention. What about you, it was just massive screeching," Harry offered, hoping Luna would know.

"Sorry, but my dad and I look for things – we don't really talk about what has been proven. But if it is a clue, maybe it can be deciphered. Or maybe it's a monster you have to fight, just like a hero. Maybe you even have to save someone!" she cried out, jumping up and down.

"Seems like it would be different than that, but it's a nice thought. Thanks, Luna," he said, smiling. Luna skipped along after him. "You may want to head to the nurse and get that eye looked at."

"If it will keep you and Ron away from each other, in your own way without even thinking," Luna reminded. Harry took a deep breath.

"Okay, lead the way," he said. Luna skipped away. "What could it be?" he mused. "Maybe Sirius could help. Luna, can we take a quick detour?"

"Sure, I kind of like the black eyes. It makes me look cool," she said, doing a rather poor impression of a tough girl. Harry looked at her scrunched up face and smirk.

"Luna, just no," he said, frowning slightly. "You're too cute to have a black eye," he said, mentally freezing for letting that slip out of his mouth. "Now, we need to find Sirius," he said quickly, trying to brush it under the rug. All of a sudden, he felt a massive weight on his back. A pair of hands locked around his neck.

"Thanks for noticing," Luna said, kissing him on the cheek before vanishing down the hall. Harry was still frozen dead in his tracks.

* * *

><p><strong>Lots of things going on in the chapter. Sorry for the delay, guys. My fiance has started a new original work that he has been quite engrossed in and I have been very busy trying to finish up some crochet plushes for my neighbor's grandkids. Anyways, enjoy and please R&amp;R!<strong>

**~LE**


	37. Getting Caught?

Magnolia Crescent

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Getting Caught?

Harry watched as the students made their way down the Quidditch pitch. It was the day of the Champions duel and Harry still had yet to find Dumbledore. He had gotten so busy with homework over the past few weeks that he hadn't found an opportunity. But there, making his way through with the last of the students, was Dumbledore.

"Professor Dumbledore!" Harry cried over the noise, pushing his way towards his headmaster. He had to know if competing in the Champions duel was optional.

"Ah, Mister Potter, is everything alright?" Dumbledore asked coolly, folding his hands and looking down at Harry.

"Professor, about the duel, do we have to compete?" he asked, fidgeting ever so slightly.

"Of course not, Harry," the old wizard replied, chuckling. "Why on earth would you think that?" Harry stared at the professor, hardly believing that he found this amusing.

"Well, it's part of the Tournament, so I assumed," Harry said, trailing off as he realized that the duel was added last minute. Of course, it would be optional. Dumbledore chuckled again, clasping Harry on the shoulder as they followed the throng of students.

"You do not have to compete if you do not feel able. For this or for the Quidditch tournament coming soon," he said. "This is merely to help unite the schools and give a few more points in the tournament. Should you choose not to compete, it's not enough to affect your current score."

Harry nodded, relieved that he wasn't required to face off against students that were much more advanced than he was.

"What an article this will make," a voice said cheerfully from behind them. Harry turned, groaning when he saw Rita Skeeter. "Harry Potter Backs Out of Challenge: Can't Handle the Pressure. Why exactly are you backing out?" she asked, her Quick-Quotes Quill hovering beside her.

"I never said I was," Harry said irritably. The last thing he needed for Rita Skeeter to be slandering his name again.

"But you were thinking about it," she insisted, raising an eyebrow at him. "Is the youngest Champion scared of the bigger Champions?" she asked, as though talking to an infant.

Harry was visibly fuming at the comment but she paid it no heed. Just as she was about to speak again, Dumbledore clasped Harry's shoulder.

"I think that's quite enough, Rita," he said firmly. "Come along, Harry. The schools are expecting us to at least show our faces," he said, smiling. Harry felt as though he were making a joke with Rita, but the twinkle in his eye said that he was trying to make light of a bad situation. Harry simply nodded, allowing Dumbledore to lead him the Quidditch pitch.

It looked huge. It wasn't any bigger than before, but they had set up seating on the field around a long table where the Champions would duel. Every seat was full, and he had a hard time figuring out where one school ended and the next began. He had a feeling that everyone still sat with their own schools, but space was limited, forcing them to sit close together.

"Were you going to participate, Harry?" Dumbledore asked, startling him out of his thoughts. He hesitated for a moment, nerves skittering across his face. But he remembered Rita's mocking words and the little figure in his mind that was his pride puffed out his chest and stared her down.

"Yes, Professor," he replied, hardly realizing that he was speaking.

"Are you sure? You asked me if you could opt out, there must be a reason," Dumbledore said calmly. A dawn of realization spread across his face before he looked down at his young charge. "Are you still participating because of Rita Skeeter?" Harry's silence was all the answer he needed. "It might not be wise to give her the satisfaction, so if she were to ask what changed your mind…," he said, trailing off.

"I'm one step ahead of you, Professor," Harry said, smiling. Dumbledore nodded, clapping him on the shoulder one more time before showing him where he was needed. As he was waiting with the other Champions, he saw Lupin peer into the tent before finding Harry in the back corner.

"Everything alright, Harry?" he asked, sitting next to him.

"Fine, just nervous," he said, quickly nodding his head. Then he looked around, a frown settling on his face. "Where's Sirius?"

"Probably in the stands," Lupin lied quickly. He hadn't seen his old friend in the stands as he came in. Which meant that Sirius had either forgot about the event or was purposefully avoiding it. Either way, he planned on hunting him down. "What is there to be nervous about, Harry? You managed to produce a corporeal Patronus, just last year," he said quietly. "I don't think that's something any of these students have been able to do. Besides, you've had near perfect marks in your Defense Against the Dark Arts classes, which is pretty much what a duel comes down to. You have nothing to be nervous about, Harry."

"Thanks, Lupin," Harry said, grinning up at his mentor. He suddenly felt less nervous, and more like he could stand his ground out there.

"Now, I am going to go find your godfather and drag him down here. I think he should be by the tent to greet you when his godson triumphs over all of these seventh years," Lupin said, standing to his feet. He frowned after he left the tent; he was going to have words with Sirius over this. As he was making his way off the pitch, he heard Ludo Bagman call for the first duel between Zachary and Krum.

Lupin paused to watch the two students duel with a few simple stunning spells. He grabbed onto his robes, noting that the American was even missing a limb. He glanced over to see Harry had joined him outside. His foot was twitching; clearly, he was nervous.

"Harry, you're a bright wizard, already as good, if not better, than the lot of them," Lupin said, swelling with a bit of pride. Between him and Sirius, Harry's skill was growing. "I just wish I had gotten another year in here. The last two professors didn't give me much to work with," he murmured, glancing at the pitch. Zachary had been disarmed. "Looks like that's that," he said, not too impressed with the American student.

Lupin turned to leave when the crowd suddenly went stiff and dead silent. The wand flew back to Zachary's hand before blasting Krum and sending him spiraling to the ground. Lupin winced as the Quidditch player hit the far side of the field.

"Perhaps I spoke too soon," he admitted. Then he froze up. "Sirius," he whispered, running back to the school. Harry barely noticed that Lupin had moved; he was still shell-shocked from Zachary's recovery.

"Sirius?" Lupin called a few moments later, pushing open the door to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. The room was eerily silent, even his adjoining office was quiet. He noted that the classroom desk was strewn with papers as he climbed the stairs to the office. Lupin frowned when he saw the upstairs office desk. The clutter was even worse; papers and several different potions bottles were littered everywhere. Some of the potions bottles still had liquid inside. And amongst all of that, he noticed various potions ingredients. He recognized boomslang skin and lacewing flies and rat tails and pond scum.

He shuffled through the papers. A few were some of the practice notes that Harry had been working on over the summer. There was Harry's report card from last year, showing that he had been lacking in the field when in fact, he was gifted. Any test showed that he was at least competent with potions. Lupin frowned when he saw some papers that he wasn't familiar with.

"Hmm, I wonder if Severus has seen him," Lupin thought aloud, staring curiously a few locks of long black hair. He wasn't sure when Harry was going to be participating in the Challenge so he moved quickly to the dungeon and Snape's office. But as he passed the Potions cupboard, he heard a voice from inside and paused. The door was ajar and a flickering light was filtering onto the floor. After listening for a moment, he realized that it wasn't Snape's voice and gently pushed the door open.

"What the?" the man inside asked, jumping when he noticed the door moving. Lupin sighed when he saw Sirius inside.

"What are you doing?" he demanded, crossing his arms over his chest. "Your godson is down at the Quidditch pitch and could use your support."

"I know, but this is important," Sirius said, placing a couple of jars back on the shelf. He paused to listen a moment and shushed Lupin when he made to speak. "I don't have time to explain. Just know that this is for Harry's wellbeing and I need you to cover me." Lupin hesitated, frowning when he heard footsteps approaching them. He grimaced, unsure of what to do. But Sirius decided it for him. "You owe me," he said, shoving Lupin out and closing the door.

"Mr. Lupin," Snape said, coming around the corner a few seconds later. "I had not expected you to be down in the dungeons. In fact, I completely expected you to be at the Quidditch pitch watching young Mister Potter fail miserably."

"I was actually looking for Sirius," he said quickly, hiding the nervous stutter in his voice. Snape narrowed his eyes at him.

"I have not seen him since breakfast," he replied, pulling out a roll of parchment and making for the potions cupboard. Lupin panicked, quickly stepping in front of the door and swallowing nervously.

"Are you sure you haven't seen him lately?" he insisted. Snape let the parchment roll shut as he glared down at Lupin.

"Remus, might I remind you that you are not technically employed at this school," he threatened. "So I suggest that whatever you are trying to do, you quit before I alert the headmaster to your 'trespassing'."

"Me? I'm not trying to do anything but find out where Sirius is hiding," Lupin said, scrambling mentally for an excuse. "I had found some potions ingredients on his desk. So, I thought that he might have come down here."

"I told you, I have not seen him. Now, would you be so kind as to move?" Snape asked. Without waiting for a response, he roughly shoved Lupin out of the way and opened the door to his potions cupboard. Snape raised his eyebrow, expecting something out of the ordinary to have been inside. Lupin peered around the door, letting out an audible sigh of relief when he saw that Sirius had vanished. The Potions master turned, expecting an explanation. But Lupin only smiled at him.

"Sorry to have bothered you, Severus. I didn't want to break into your cupboard and obviously, Sirius isn't here," he said, pulling a frown. "Hmm, perhaps he's snuck past me and headed to the Quidditch pitch."

"Perhaps," Snape drawled, dark eyes watching Lupin intently as he left the dungeons. Once he was safely on the main floor, he let out a sound somewhere between a growl and a sigh. Sirius had given him the slip – so where did he disappear to now? He was making his way to the middle of the Entrance Hall when he felt a hand clap firmly on his shoulder. He gasped, jumping from the fright.

"I knew you could do it," Sirius said, grinning as he came into Lupin's field of vision. His eyes were bright from excitement and he practically had a skip in his step. "Now come on, let's get down to the pitch and see Harry kick some foreign arse."

"You owe me an explanation," Lupin growled, shrugging his comrade's hand off his shoulder. Sirius let it drop with no problem, shoving them into the pockets of his robes.

"I can't explain it now. Once I have everything in place, I'll let you know," he replied. They both fell silent as they made their way across the grounds. A collective cheer could be heard when they got closer to the stands. They exchanged confused looks and hurried to see what had become of the duel. They saw Harry walking off the stage, shoulders slumped a bit while Fleur did a victorious turn for the crowd.

"Sirius, just don't get fired," Lupin said, glancing over at his friend. The announcer called Cedric up to face Fluer in the final duel.

"Hey, I know what I'm doing."

"Yes, that's why I caught you in the act," Lupin snapped. Sirius opened his mouth to reply but Harry had found them by the Champions tent.

"Well, I tried," he said simply.

"We didn't expect you to win, but at least you tried," Lupin said. "That's all anyone expects of you right now, Harry."

"Are you planning on taking Krum off his high broom in the Quidditch match?" Sirius asked excitedly. Harry's face fell at the comment.

"We don't have a team," he said glumly. Lupin had a thoughtful look on his face.

"I'm sure we can find some old students who would be willing to come back. Besides, they haven't ironed out all of the rules yet so I don't see why that would be a big deal," he said, smirking. Harry glanced up at them, his confused frown turning into a smirk as he realized what Lupin was getting at.

"And the winner of the final duel is Miss Fleur Delacour!" the announcer exclaimed. She gave a graceful bow, skipping off the stage and joining Madame Maxine. The Headmistress was grinning from ear to ear over her student's victory.

"It was a close match. Her and Zachary were the best duelists and she only won by capitalizing on his handicap. She actually hit him with a lot of hard-hitting spells," Harry admitted.

"Sorry about not showing up on time. I had some class work that I needed to look into," Sirius apologized. "But we've got a few weeks before the next task is pushed forward," he added with a smile, looking at his godson.

"Has anyone seen Alistair? I think it's time to get some work of my own done," Lupin said, tugging on his robe.

"Whatever for?" Sirius asked. Harry glanced at him as well.

"It's been a while since I've dueled. And with the skill of Harry's opposition, he is going to need more skill with his wand," he replied.

"But you're not supposed to help me," Harry said resolutely. Lupin looked horrified.

"Harry," he said in mock hurt. "I said nothing about teaching you. But since you brought it up, Moody is a skilled duelist and, just in case, I would like to have someone on hand in case I get injured," Lupin said, smiling.

"Oh," Harry said in realization. Soon, Lupin and Sirius were pushed aside by his group of friend's that arrived to console his loss. Lupin sighed, smiling fondly as Harry was swarmed and tried to explain that he wasn't disappointed.

"I think Alastor was over there," Sirius said, pointing to a spot partially across the field. They both stared for a long while before Lupin turned away.

"Don't do anything foolish, Sirius," he warned, striding off to find Moody. The ex-Auror glanced up when he approached. "Moody," he greeted.

"Lupin, young lad, what can I do for you?" he said in a booming voice, his face twisting into something close to a grin. Lupin grimaced at the action; he was never all that comfortable around the man.

"I was hoping for some of your time tomorrow," he replied, coughing to clear his throat. "I would like to brush up on my own skills," he admitted, remaining professional with the older man.

"The young guns got you feeling a bit nervous?" Moody cackled. Lupin couldn't help but feel uneasy.

"In a sense. I asked Harry to sit in, just in case something goes wrong," Lupin said, hinting to his true motive.

"Well, I don't see why not. It's been awhile since I've had to do any dueling. I'll set us up something in the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom," he offered.

"Sure," Lupin agreed. When he turned, he could have sworn that he saw Moody lick his lips suddenly. Something about it didn't feel right but he brushed it off as simple paranoia and walked away.

* * *

><p><strong>Sorry it took so long to get this chapter up. SWD left me in charge of this one and I've been so busy with my crochet projects lately that it kept slipping from my mind. But, here it is! And Sirius is getting into some serious shit. What is going on? Keep reading and you'll find out...<br>**

**~LE**


	38. Remus

Magnolia Crescent

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Remus

"So, do you have time to explain yourself?" Remus asked, looking at Sirius. The Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher looked over his morning paperwork. He didn't respond but continued to look over the papers on his desk. "Well?" Lupin pressed.

"I went back over a few of Harry's potions. He is rather good at them, but for some reason, his grades aren't reflecting that. In fact, despite everything, they seem to be getting worse," Sirius answered. "So, I decided to do a little investigation of my own."

"You should have talked to Dumbledore instead of sneaking around Severus's potion closet," Remus chided with a frown. "You could have lost your job."

"It's not his – he gets all his funding from the school. Everything in this school is open access – no matter how much he cries fowl if something goes missing," Sirius replied, continuing to look over his papers.

"Well, you missed out," Remus said after a moments silence. "I've got some practice to get to and Harry will be joining me. If you feel the need to let me in on what you are doing that you couldn't just buy, it would be appreciated."

"My so- godson," Sirius said, catching himself as he put the parchment aside. He stood up and the quill began to move on its own. "Has, by his actions, proven that Dumbledore cannot always see everything that he should. So I am making sure that I give him something that he cannot just glance over – evidence that Snape is not just negligent, but hampering the growth of students and their studies. I will not allow any insult or barb he has get at me. But Snape seems content to let the sins of the father fall on the son. And if Harry loses, the Wizarding world will be a much darker place."

"I see your point. But why not let me in?" Remus asked. Sirius leaned against the wall and chewed over his answer.

"It's more than that, a lot more and you have enough black stains on your record as it is. No thanks to Snivellus," Sirius growled, releasing a sigh. "I found Harry on the street, running away from his relatives. What kind of man puts a child in a place where even a convicted killer is capable of finding him?" he asked, looking at Lupin.

"It was dumb luck, Sirius. You know a lot more about how Muggles work. It would take a lot more," Remus said but Sirius cut him off.

"Oh, Remus, I know what you're doing but there is more to it. I know Snape was behind your decision to leave. He set people up to follow the breadcrumbs and Dumbledore let him get off scot-free. Neither had a single person speak out against them. The other teachers have their own issues and anyone outside of Dumbledore's full loyalty have enough saying power or proof to force his hand. I am the only one that has crossed him with doing anything underhanded by the simple fact that Harry genuinely likes and respects me. And from what I have gathered, is seldom few. He seems committed to facing any danger alone rather than try and find help outside of Hermione and Ron. So, I am going to show him, and you, that there are people outside of this school who are willing to help him fight the dark forces," Sirius said in a surprisingly even tone.

"And what does this have to do with sneaking into the Potions Master's closet?" Remus asked, crossing his arms.

"By fixing the small ones first," he said with a coy smile. "Now then, I do believe you have an appointment to keep?"

"Sorry about Harry," Remus started. "I should have been there for him." But Sirius cut him off.

"Your little monthly problem puts combat on any solo parenting. I understand, besides, Harry seems more than happy to have you around. So, holding it against you would be unfair on all of us," he interjected.

"It's more than that. While everything was going on, I was seeing a Potions Master and offering me and my ailment as a means to finding a better suppressing agent. It left me drained and unable to do much outside of recover."

"Who was helping you with that?" Sirius asked, brows creasing together in thought.

"A mixture of people, some of which were the Tonks family. That was only in recovery and I tried to keep the exact reasons for my visits spotty as best," he admitted.

"Ah, they let us use their place as a safe house," Sirius said, brightening when he remembered the pair. "Distant relatives of mine, good people. I really should put them back on the family tree," he mused, slouching back into his chair. "So many memories. Reminds me of the time we were almost on the run from Voldemort. Lily and James sure did give him a run for his money that night. Well, mostly Lily but you know, when we showed up, he turned tail and ran. I wish it was still that easy but the damn bastard isn't nearly as bold as he used to be," Sirius lamented.

"Maybe he learned his lesson and will try a new approach," Remus suggested.

"Hmm, he may if he can get his body back. I'm not too concerned. If Harry can handle him, I've got a feeling the lot of us won't have too much of an issue," he said, regaining his mirth.

"Don't get too overconfident. It was the death of many a great wizard, try not to join them," Remus warned. Sirius playfully rolled his eyes, pulling out a pocket watch and beginning to twirl it by the chain. "Crap," he said, his face falling as he rushed for the door.

Remus jogged through the halls, students watching warily and giving him a wide berth. He ignored the looks; he had figured they would happen. He took the familiar stairs and before he could catch his breath, burst into the designated room.

"Ah, Lupin," a familiar voice greeted.

"Tonks," he said, spotting the young Auror. Harry was, as per his habit, sitting quietly on a bench in the long and mostly empty room.

"So you were the one Moody wanted to give a refresher course in," Nymphadora Tonks said, crossing her arms and looking at him. "It's been a while; my mum said you ended your consultation with her over a year ago. Feeling better, I hope?" she asked, watching him. Her gaze made him feel uneasy and he rubbed at the back of his head.

"Well, I had to put my teaching responsibilities first," Remus admitted, inwardly cursing Moody for his replacement being her of all people.

"Understandable. It's good to see you, seeing you as how that potion you took regularly, well, it gets worrisome if you don't contact your friends once a month," she said. Remus felt his face reddening. Tonks sighed and shook her head. "I am sounding like my mother. Anyways, I got to talk with Harry. He got here kind of early and he seems like a good kid, good choice for your first adoption with your boyfriend Sirius," she rambled. Remus felt his jaw slacken and drop while she carried on. "Have to admit, a former inmate, never would have guessed. I would have thought someone fun, you know, like me. But you think you know a guy," she said, stretching her hands out to the side.

"Ah," was all that Remus could say. But he looked at Harry and mouthed "help me." Harry only smiled nervously at him. "So, where is Moody?" he finally managed.

"What, am I not good enough?" she asked, her hair turning red.

"Not at all, in fact I don't feel so bad shooting of stunners at you, considering his age," Remus backpedaled.

"That's what she said," she smiled, her hair turning pink. "Moody had his own things to deal with and I had some vacation time saved up. So I agreed to get you back into shape. If you needed to, you have just asked me outright. We are friends, right?" she asked, a dangerous glint in her eye.

"Of course," Remus replied, never even noticing it. "I just figured you were being a very productive Auror. I didn't want to presume you would have time for me," he said honestly, smiling warmly. He continued speaking as he walked past her. "Just let me take my cloak off. I've got a feeling this is going to be a bit more active than my normal stretches," he said, failing to notice the red blush creeping up her face. He tossed the cloak aside where it landed on the bench beside Harry. He quickly scooted away from it as though it were infected. Remus pulled out his wand, and without a word, folded it into a neat pile with a simple twist of his wand. He rolled it between his fingers before adjusting his tie.

"You know, Moody would get on your case for having your wand so close to your face," Tonks pointed out. Remus put his hands behind his back, turning the wand in his fingers.

"True, but as a former Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, I think I am qualified to adjust my tie before a friendly spar," he said calmly. "So long as you don't tell him," he added with a smile.

"Our little secret, now then," she said and they both readied their wands. Harry waited, expecting the normal dueling etiquette but Tonks settled for sending a stunner at Remus. He kept a calm stance while the spells bounced off his shields. He seemed content to keep his feet planted one in front of the other. He was calm and collected, more so than any duelists Harry had seen before. Tonks let off more spells, each one arching and twisting to show amazing control over each one. But Remus had no issues, his wand twitching as he deflected the spells that tried to circumvent his shield.

"Now that the warm-up is over, shall we?" she asked, giving a coy smirk. Remus retaliated, sending off a series of spells that Harry did not know but it caused the floor to ripple. Not even bothering to put up a shield, Tonks just started running and cast a similar spell. Remus bent his knees while a faint orb of almost transparent magic slammed into his shield. But it only went sailing overhead, colliding with the back wall. Remus was already sending off a series of Stunning spells while copying a much stronger version of Tonks' last spell.

Tonks was already sweating while Remus stood his ground, seeming to ignore anything that she could dish out. All the while, he was forcing her to move by cannon-balling any shield she could hope to put up. Remus was not asked to be a teacher for nothing. Unlike his old friend Sirius, he didn't have a flair but simple style that was all about defense and bringing down the opponent.

Tonks glared at older man who had her running circles. She tripped but her footing seemed to shift and she fell into a roll. She spun, landing on one knee and sent off a massive spell. It consisted of about five Stunning spells that spun around each other. Remus had been backpedaling, not expecting her to trip, but he quickly stopped attacking to defend.

The spells each hit their mark and she began to close the distance, rushing him with spell after spell. Before Harry had realized it, he was clinging to the bench with Remus almost running in reverse. He smirked, suddenly making a sharp turn. His spells stopped and with a quick zigzag motion of his wand, a wall rose up in front of him. Tonks blasted into the wall, sending up rock and dust. Remus let out a Stunning spell, but it hit the rocks that she was now levitating in front of her. She sent them flying but Remus tossed them away easily. He dived to the side, letting off another spell while the rocks crashed into the spot where he had just stood. Tonks swatted them away as Remus did a quick spiral with his wand. She hit him with a Stunning spell, sending him skidding across the floor.

A low creaking sound echoed around the room. A glance upwards told them that the ceiling was cracking around the chandelier. They jumped out of the way as it shattered to the floor. The dust erupted into flame around the fallen candles.

Remus waved his hands, parting the fire away and leaving him unharmed between two pillars of fire. He could feel his hair clinging to his face as the fire roared around him. He made another motion, causing sand to fall from the sky. As the fire was extinguished, it was only replaced by more. A wind picked up in the room suddenly and Remus realized what Tonks was planning on doing. And he all but helped her. He could see glass shards forming around him, his coat getting slashed as they moved through the air. Harry had a mixed look of horror and awe on his face.

"I can't keep this up," Remus realized. He smirked, flicking his wand and blasting the wind away from him as Tonks ended her bombardment. His legs began to shake; the exertion off so much magic had left him winded. "I concede," he breathed out, dropping to his knees and weakly holding onto his wand.

"Lupin, you didn't need to push yourself that hard," Tonks chided, rushing to his side when she saw him. Harry sat, blinking owlishly, his hair looking as if he had just been in a cyclone. The room was covered in sand, rock and scorch marks, especially where the floor and ceiling had been.

"Lupin, that was amazing!" Harry praised, rushing over when he sensed something was up.

"He still didn't need to push himself this far. With your condition, your body can only take so much stress as it is," she scolded, frowning at the older man.

"Did you learn anything?" Remus asked, looking at Harry as he caught his breath.

"Yeah, I think so. I need to be careful because anything I bring into the field can be used against me. And rock makes a good shield against Stunning spells," he said.

"And even the Killing Curse," Tonks added. "While they love to say there is no defense, most solid objects – at least an inch thick and not made of paper – can, in fact, protect you in most cases. However, it's worth trying since your best bet is just to run instead of conjuring up walls. Which is very time consuming and draining, I might add. You used up your practicality and went far too flashy," she said, her explanation turning again to scorn.

"I needed to show him rather than tell him. He is a Champion, remember?" Remus said. Her eyes went wide at the realization. He clapped her on the shoulder and Harry pulled him to his feet. "Now she gets it. I think a drink and some chocolate, that always makes me feel better."

"That was amazing," Harry said, looking up at his former teacher.

"I try. Unlike your father and Sirius, I did in fact want to be, not just a duelist, but a wizard on par with Dumbledore. But my little problem makes it impossible to push my body and my mind to its limits. What you just saw is only a fraction of what a true sorcerer can do. It's sad really; the magic could be so much more if so many pureblood families didn't take every secret to their grave," Remus bemoaned, thinking over all of the lost knowledge.

"What do you mean? I thought Hogwarts had all the practical and nonlethal magic around," Harry asked.

"They would like you to believe that. The trouble it, that's not the case. A lot of magic is kept in pureblood libraries and some vaults at Gringotts. Not to mention, all the dusty crap the Ministry has around. In most cases, if a family dies off, any family magic or spells go to a close family member. More often than not, the goblins seal up the vault, robbing us of any magical knowledge we could get.

"There must be some way of getting it back," Harry said thoughtfully. Remus grabbed a mug of butterbeer and chugged it.

"Well, there are two ways: recreate it or black magic. Both you can see in full with Dumbledore and Voldemort respectively. It's hard, and you have to be a special kind of person to get into the more hidden magicks. Even then, it's rare if you can get out without a blood oath of some kind to keep you from teaching it," he replied, wiping some foam off his mouth.

"Sounds selfish," Harry commented. Remus pulled out a handkerchief and dabbed at his forehead.

"It is. The Muggles may have developed socially, but the Wizarding world is not so quick to change. Just like the magical creatures that surround us," he said.

"And sometimes for good reason. We don't need powerful wizards, just practical," Tonks added, eyeing Remus dangerously.

"Aye, but sometimes a practical wizard is no good against the dark forces. And if people are still gunning for Harry, I need to be able to do the work of five wizards," he retorted with a confident but warm smile.

"Men," Tonks sighed, shaking her head as she stood up. With a wave of her wand, the sand vanished and the room began to repair itself. "Now then, I think that is enough. Do let me know if you need your arse kicked again. Perhaps some personal time as well, so we can see how long you can really last," Tonk said, winking at him before walking off in a rather sensual manner.

Harry and Remus sat on the bench for a few minutes more, enjoying the silence.

"Well, Harry, I think she's right. That's enough for now. This summer, I think it would be a good idea to start teaching you some of the more fun spells," he said, smirking.

"Thanks, Lupin. I appreciated it, even if you did almost get burned," Harry replied, concern in his voice.

"Doting on me, just like your mother," he said, chuckling. Then he sighed halfheartedly. "I would have had her if she hadn't tripped." He laughed, leaning back against the wall. Harry relaxed as well and after a few moments, heard deep breathing. He glanced over and realized that Lupin had drifted off to sleep.

* * *

><p><strong>Merry belated Christmas! And here is your Christmas present, dear readers. A chance to follow Lupin in a day at Hogwarts. Hopefully he can get Sirius under control soon, though. Anyways, R&amp;R and let us know what you thought of this chapter.<br>**

**~LE**


	39. The Result of Dancing Lessons with Snape

Magnolia Crescent

Chapter Thirty-Nine

The Result of Dancing Lessons with Snape

"As you are all well aware, recent events have made this speech unavoidable, but useless all the same," Professor Snape hissed while Leo sat down next to Dante and Alec. "Seeing as how none of my students were capable of entering the Triwizard Tournament.

"Or because we didn't piss off a dark wizard," Alec cracked with a small smirk. A cold glare from Snape quickly ended the ensuing laughter.

"As I was saying, since not a single one you have need of being at the front of the dance, I felt that any appearances or requirements towards you were minimalistic at best," he explained, letting the words hang in the air.

Leo bit back a sigh and began to subtly tap his foot. He knew all too well that Professor Snape was going to drag this out for as long as possible.

"However, Dumbledore has seen fit to make me sit down with the lot of you and explain how not to make a complete and total, disreputable, disturbed disruption and how to prevent them from happening. If I find out anyone with green or a serpent has caused an incident – be it small, international or between houses – you will be scrubbing blood off the dungeon walls for your detention," he snapped. Roughly half of his house jumped in their seats.

Leo kept his hands still with a blank expression on his face. Snape had a habit of picking on people that didn't share his impassive expression. "It won't be long now before they start taking bets on how much Dumbledore would have to twist their Head of House's arm," he thought to himself, beginning to naturally block the man in question out.

"So if you do go, make sure you go with someone, if you have the desire to show up at all. Also, I have been asked to have some dancing lessons. The Headmaster, it seems, wants to encourage such behavior; at least to make a good first impression before you all decide to act like a bunch of heated werewolves," Snape said. "Now then, I will need two volunteers to start this monkey business off." With that, Snape stood up and began to scan the group for an unwilling pair of participants. Miss Bulstrode and ah, Mister Potter's newest addition," he said, watching Leo as he stood to his feet. "Make sure you have enough distance. Any closer and you will be forced apart."

"No concerns there," Leo grumbled, receiving a hard glare from the professor. Snape grabbed both of their shoulders and began to move them around rather clumsily.

"Move your feet, Mr. Holmes. Do try, for once in your life, to cooperate with authority," he growled. Leo struggled with the instruction while Snape charmed the record player. It began to play a song he was not familiar with. The pair started to move while Millicent glared at him. Leo did his best to dance when a thought popped into his head.

"I can ask Hermione to the Yule Ball," he realized, his mood suddenly brightening. Suddenly, his steps picked up and he actually put some effort into his dancing. Now they were moving around the room in time with the music.

"I would say that has been an adequate demonstration. Now, each of you pair up. And don't forget, I am watching each of you," Snape said. The flood gates opened, allowing Leo to stop being the uncomfortable center of attention.

"Not bad for a blood traitor," Bulstrode growled. The end of class could not have come sooner.

As soon as class was released, Leo broke into a full on sprint, weaving students and giggling girls. With the recent announcement, everyone knew full well the only target a running guy would have on his mind. He broke into the dueling club, all but skidding across his tripping feet and falling in a heap in front of Hermione.

"WillyougototheYuleBallwithme?" he breathed out. Hermione could only look at him in bewilderment.

"Pardon?" she asked while Luna elbowed her.

"Leo would like to ask for your company during the Yule Ball. Would you do him the honor?" she translated and Leo hastily nodded in agreement. Hermione put a hand to her chest, clearly touched by the notion. He felt his hopes soar before a frown appeared on her face.

"I've already agreed to go with someone else," she admitted. Leo could have sworn they could hear his face cracking.

"Who in the world?" he mouthed silently. His first thought was of one person; only one person would have the gull. "Weaslebee," he growled, taking out his wand and turning towards Ron on the other side of the room. Before anyone could say a word, a fountain of spiders poured out of Leo's wand while Ron's face paled.

"Spiders," he squeaked, making a mad dash for the door. Leo shot after him like a wolf on the hunt.

"Hey, everyone, I got it figured out," Harry said as he bounced into the room. His smile quickly faded when Ron bowled into before scrambling to his feet and taking off. Leo paused for a second by the door to look at Harry harshly.

"You better run! I'll have your head for this!" he shouted. Harry looked at him in bewilderment as he tore off after the massive trail of spiders.

"So, are you going to tell him that it wasn't Ron?" Luna asked. Hermione settled back in her chair, continuing the book she was reading.

"Maybe after he terrorizes Harry as well," Hermione said, clearly unconcerned with the emotional trauma that Ron was now enduring.

"I didn't do it, I swear!" Ron cried out, bolting through the Great Hall, over benches and back into the main school. Anyone nearby with even a mild casing of arachnophobia was left shrieking in their wake as the two raced through the school.

"You dare? That was the only thing keeping me happy in that stupid dance lesson. I'll have your head for destroying my big night!" Leo roared while they tore past Sirius and Lupin.

"What in the world?" Lupin asked in worry.

"Young love," Sirius replied, barely looking up from his scroll and completely uninterested in stopping them.

"I have no idea what you are talking about!" Ron cried out. However, Leo was at a point beyond reasoning.

"Ron, Leo! What are you doing?" Harry shouted, running up behind the two. Leo was now gaining ground on a terrified Ron.

"You asked her out, didn't you?" Leo accused, tackling him to the ground. They landed in a pile of flailing limbs.

"I did no such thing!" Ron cried out and Leo paused. The sudden drop of activity put Ron at ease. But Leo's gaze was now darting at Harry.

"Look, I figured out what the next task is," he said with a bright smile now that they were both listening. But Leo snatched him up by his robes. (AN: insert Harry's Whomping Willow expression here) ( . /tumblr_lxt2pdqyC31r3rgwko1_ )

"You!" he shouted, dragging Harry into the tussle.

"You're breaking my arm!" Ron shouted.

"That's only because snapping your neck is illegal!" Leo shouted back. At that moment, a fourth voice pitched in to try and talk some reason back into them.

"Guys!" Hermione snapped and the fighting stopped. "Leo, I was asked out by someone else. And for his safety, I shall be his name to myself. So, would you kindly release my friends?" She raised her eyebrows, tilting her head towards where Leo still grasped the front of Ron's robes.

Leo watched Hermione for a brief second, seeming to debate internally. Then, without any hesitation, he smoothly punched Ron one more time and released him. Hermione sighed, dropping her head into one hand.

"Ow! Bloody hell, mate!" Ron gripped, pushing himself off the floor and trying to mop up a bloody nose. He turned to give Leo a piece of his mind but couldn't bring himself to do it. Leo looked beaten inside, his shoulders hunched over and he looked at Hermione with all the pain of a whipped puppy dog.

"Please don't look at me like that," Hermione pleaded, realizing just how dejected he looked. He didn't say anything but turned and began to slowly walk down the corridor with his hands stuffed into his pockets.

"I really wanted to tell him off, but I feel so bad for him," Ron admitted, glancing at Hermione. With a weak smile, she pulled out her wand and fixed Ron's bloody nose.

"So, is it serious?" Harry asked, watching Leo turn a corner and vanish from sight.

"What? Why would I be going with your godfather?" Hermione asked, receiving a glare from Harry.

"You have no idea how sick of that joke I am getting. I meant with the Yule Ball," he clarified.

"Oh, sorry, my mind is elsewhere. To be honest, the whole idea is to help build relationships between schools. Honestly, I'm going with him to set an example – nothing serious in the slightest," Hermione admitted.

"You might want to tell him that," Ron replied. "I mean, how badly would the team dynamic be messed up if one of them is out of it thanks to heartbreak," he said, touching gingerly at his nose.

"Ronald," she said with a frown but she quickly realized that he was trying to hide his real concern. "Boys," she huffed, racing off after Leo.

"So, figured it out, huh?" he asked Harry, turning back to the corridor they had come from.

"Yeah, I did. Just took a bit of help from Cedric," he admitted.

"How did you figure it out?"

"I took a bath with it," Harry said brightly.

"Okay," Ron drawled, unsure of how that would work.

"So, have you seen Zachary?" Harry asked. Ron only shrugged his shoulders.

"The Americans usually congregate in the Great Hall. Wouldn't be a bad place to check," Ron pointed out. Harry nodded and gave a quick wave.

Harry made his way towards the Great Hall, and a few moments, slipped in to try and find the other Champion. There was no luck, but he spotted a familiar face all the same.

"Laryl, have you seen Zachary?" he asked and she glanced up at him.

"Why?" she asked, crossing her arms.

"Personal reasons," Harry said, knowing full well that his real reason was, in fact, breaking the rules.

"If you must know, he should be outside the castle. He's been doing a lot of running lately, mostly outdoors," she answered.

Harry nodded in thanks and he quickly made himself scarce. When he left the Great Hall, he nearly bumped into Hermione

"Have you seen Leo around here?" she asked, glancing around.

"I haven't seen him," Harry replied with a shrug. She sighed and walked off. Harry rubbed the back of his neck with a frown.

"Sorry about that," Leo said, causing Harry to jump out of his skin. "Sorry, I really shouldn't have freaked out like that.

"Try not to let it happen again. Why were you so worked up anyway?" Harry asked. "Mind if we walk and talk?" Leo nodded and followed Harry through the school and onto the grounds.

"I honestly figured you and Ron would be the only ones willing to ask her out. And I guess my first thought was scare tactics. Not saying it was smart," Leo admitted.

"Yeah, well, I don't know who it is. I don't even have a clue of who to take and I've got to dance with her in front of all four schools," Harry admitted. "The spiders were hilarious, if a bit mean," he added with a chuckle.

"You know, I don't think she takes my advances seriously," Leo said, seeming to huddle in on himself.

"As far as I know, Hermione only takes her studies seriously. But she is a young woman and I have been hanging around Lupin too much. I think you were just a bit off. She seems more interested in the other wizarding cultures than anything else. Also, she is searching for you. Speaking of this whole thing, did you apologize to Ron for attacking him?" Harry asked.

"I am not apologizing to him. I don't like him one bit," Leo replied, firm in his conviction.

"Ron is a good friend. I would hope that you would at least be willing to be that courteous if you plan on staying mine," Harry replied with a frown.

"It's not a matter of being polite, it's trust. Harry, I don't know how much you know of the wizarding world, but for a long time, trust was – and still is – a commodity. Not trusting someone isn't the same as forgetting a birthday. For a long time, people couldn't trust anyone. You could have a few good friends and everyone else, they could be with You-Know-Who. Not trusting the word of a friend, that's not something I just forgive or forget," Leo said. Harry watched him curiously.

"You are a very intense person, you know that?" Harry asked and Leo nodded.

"Hey, I don't half-ass something. I put my soul into anything I do. So, if you're a friend of mine, you're stuck like that unless something bad comes between us."

"Like a woman?" Harry asked.

"Since when did you start dating? Speaking of which, if you're interested in going with someone who won't expect you to dance too much, I recommend Luna. I would ask her out, but the Champion's needs overrule us lesser folk," he suggested with a light laugh.

"Don't you start putting me on a pedestal," Harry said, holding both hands up.

"Relax, I'm just messing with you. Hey, it's that American," Leo pointed out.

"I need to go talk with him. Be right back, Leo," Harry said with a nod, catching up with Zachary. "Hey, in case you haven't figured it out, I wanted to let you know that the next task is going to be underwater," he said when he was beside the running American. Zachary slowed to a walk and stared at Harry.

"Why are you telling me this?" he asked.

"Well, you see, um, it's hard to explain," he said. Zachary glanced at his arm. "No, it's not about that. I just don't think it's fair if I got help and you didn't get a chance to get the clue. I think it has to do with mermaids so make sure you can breathe underwater," Harry said. With that, he walked away.

"You get one favor for this. I don't like to be in debt to someone. We clear? When I give it, you take it!" Zach shouted back. Harry didn't reply but walked back over to Leo.

"You are far too nice for your own good," Leo commented with a sigh. Harry only shrugged.

"And you're too trigger happy. Nobody is perfect," he retorted as they walked back to the castle.

"No wonder you can't get a date," Leo replied with a sly smirk.

* * *

><p>Boys will be boys, I suppose. Well, I hope you guys are happy with the chapter and got a good laugh out of it. As always, R&amp;R to let us know how we are doing.<p>

Oh! This reminds me that I need to remind you guys about SWD's newest story called Golden Eagle. It's about an up and coming pirate who unwittingly drags his mishmash crew into all sorts of shenanigans. FYI, it is rated M for violence, swearing and other "shenanigans". Here's the link and I hope you guys give it a read. Just take out the space before the dot com. Curse you, fanfiction and your link formatting *shakes fist angrily*

s/3166611/1/Golden-Eagle


	40. The Second Biggest Question

Magnolia Crescent

Chapter Forty

The Second Biggest Question

"So, do you have any idea who you're going to the Yule Ball with?" Leo asked, glancing over at Ron. They, along with Harry and Neville, were trudging through the snows of the courtyard.

"I've got a date," Neville admitted. Everyone turned to stare at him, clearly surprised by this fact. They paused to watch the girls flitting by in groups.

"So, who are the girls we know?" Ron mused out loud.

"Um, Hermione," Leo stated.

"Ginny," Harry added, causing Ron to glare at them.

"You stay away from my sister," he growled.

"Hi, Luna," Neville said, waving to the Ravenclaw as she walked by.

"Hello," she replied, waving as she continued on her way. Leo suddenly kicked Harry off the stone bench he had just sat down on. Harry glared up at him.

"Go!" he urged.

"But I – I mean why? I thought you liked her?" Harry asked, staring at Leo in confusion.

"Your needs are greater than mine and I don't like her that way – she's a good friend. Now get moving or we will need to start stalking these packs like real lions," Leo hissed. A disgruntled Harry got off the ground, brushed off his robes and rushed after Luna.

"Dammit," Ron said under his breath. Neville and Leo glanced at Ron. "Sorry, coughed," he covered with a smile. Leo raised an eyebrow at him while Neville shrugged, casually watching Harry.

"Luna!" he called, rushed past the other students. She didn't seem to hear him and didn't respond until he was right beside her. Then she suddenly turned to face him.

"Hello, Harry. Lovely day isn't it?" she asked, holding her books close to her chest.

"I would say so. So, um, how have you been?" Harry asked, casually trying to play it cool.

"Right as rain, but I don't think I have seen wrong rain, have you?" she asked. Harry only shrugged.

"I guess wrong rain would be falling to the side, I think," he replied, scratching at the back of his head. Luna nodded at this.

"That would be odd, but would it be wrong?" she questioned, stopping and looking at him.

"Well, I have yet to see it, so I wouldn't call it a normal occurrence," Harry admitted.

"True, so do you think we've made enough small talk? I know you want to ask me to the Yule Ball," she stated in an unsurprised tone. Harry made a face that was even more owlish than Hedwig, blinking as he went. "Oh, wait, you wanted to ask. Well, sorry, go ahead," she corrected, watching him as everything seemed to go silent. Despite all of the noise in the courtyard, Harry couldn't seem to hear anything.

"Would you like to go to the Yule Ball with me?" he finally managed to ask.

"As friends?" Luna inquired.

"Of course," he replied, giving her a nice smile. She nodded, but didn't seem too outwardly changed at the answer.

"I expect more than just one dance," she said, smiling. Harry nodded, opening his mouth to say something but Luna stopped him with a finger against his lips. "Also, try to smile. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity," she interjected, reaching out slowly and placing her hands on his face. Harry couldn't find the will to move. "And wear something red," she added before skipping off. Harry waited until she was around a corner before doing a celebratory fist pump.

"Nice choice, Potter. What's the matter – find the only girl weird enough to go out with you?" Malfoy jeered in a greasy voice.

"That's nice, Malfoy," Harry said automatically, completely ignoring him as he made his way back towards Neville. Malfoy watched Harry walk away with cold eyes before turning to his two stooges.

"So," Ron said, "I need you to be my wingman." Leo was trailing behind him, hands deep in his pockets and a slight scowl on his face.

"Remind me why I am doing this again," he commented, walking past an even more confused Malfoy. The other Slytherin just stared in bewilderment as the pair walked by.

"This whole bloody school has gone mad," he griped, turning to walk away with Crabbe and Goyle.

"Well, you and I are the only two guys that don't have a date. So, I was thinking that we should work together," Ron said, inclining his head.

"I am not really all that big on social gatherings," Leo admitted. "But I guess I could at least give it a try," he agreed. Ron slapped him on the back.

"That's the spirit!" he cried. Leo raised his shoulders, smirking in mild amusement. "So, um, what now?" he asked.

"Don't you have brothers?" Leo asked. "Wouldn't they be able to help?"

"Well, yes, but they won't be much help. Percy has been too busy with his own life to even bother with women. Fred and George tease me and Charlie and Bill are too far away to ask. And I'm not even sure they would have much advice," he replied after a moment's thoughtful silence.

"What about your dad?" Leo pressed. Ron only stared at him like he had asked the stupidest question ever. "Um, sorry I asked," he said, unsure as to why Ron was giving him that look.

"Why do they always have to travel in packs?" Ron asked, while Leo watched a small group of witches giggle and look back at them. Leo gave one brunette a sly smirk. She quickly rushed away to join her friends and whisper with them.

"Hmm, not sure. Maybe because they are just as nervous as we are, so they group together for confidence," Leo suggested. Ron glanced up at him like he had just suggested that the Earth did indeed revolve around the sun.

"Keep your crazy women theories to yourself," Ron said, looking around. "I just – I can't really see myself with any of them."

"Finally realized that every woman here is out of your league?" Leo commented. Ron only snorted.

"I feel like there should be a connection, a pull or something. But I just see pretty faces," Ron admitted.

"Where there out there is my Juliet," Leo said offhandedly in a disinterested tone. "Look, I am all up for love at first sight, but we date women to see if we like them. Just pick a girl and ask her; go Gryffindor if that would make it easier," he suggested calmly.

"Hmm, maybe. Come on, I was hoping I would see the right person. Wait, true love?" Ron questioned, cocking his head to the side in puzzlement.

"Nothing, I just think you are a bit optimistic if you think your soul mate is going to be here of all places. Very few actually do, but that does not make them any less happy," Leo remarked. Ron watched him with an unamused expression on his face.

"Did someone hex you when I wasn't looking?" he asked.

"It's called being poetic; you need to show a woman she is worth the effort and time. That and being brave and unflinching as you walk up to her, look her dead in the eye and ask her out," Leo advised, swiftly altering the topic.

"You're crazy," Ron sighed, shaking his head. By now they were wandering another corridor of the school. Leo glanced around a corner and saw Fleur talking with the Ravenclaw Roger Davis. "I would be nervous to do that," Ron admitted. Then he saw what Leo was looking at. Everyone nearby was feeling something along the lines of a warm spring breeze. Before Leo could stop him, Ron strode right up to Fleur and blurted out, "Wouldyouliketogototheballwithme?" Then he froze completely, like a deer in the headlights.

"No, no, no," Leo sighed, shaking his head and grabbing Ron by the shoulder. He pulled him to the side and Ron was all too happy to comply. Both Fleur and Roger looked at him curiously. "You're supposed to say something along the lines of 'I would be most humbled if you would honor me by being my companion to the Yule Ball'," Leo said. "But that's only if you want to humiliate someone like Fleur. If you really want to put a girl on the spot," he said, pausing to stride back over and take Fleur's hand before getting on one knee. "Would the most beautiful girl in the school be my date to the Yule Ball?" he asked, looking up at her. She appeared as stiff as a board and Ron realized that everyone was now staring at her. Leo got up and cleared his throat.

"You need to be willing to go the extra mile for them," he said, slapping Ron on the back. He quickly toppled over. "Crap, Ron. Quick, someone grab an arm!" Leo ordered. A few Gryffindors hurried to grab a limb.

Harry was jolted out of his daze when he realized that his best friend was being dragged into the common room. "What in the world happened to him?" Harry asked, scrambling to his feet.

"Oh, we were talking girls and um, I think Fleur did something 'cause all of a sudden, he blurted out something along the lines of going to the ball with her," Leo explained. "I'll be honest, I really thought he was just nervous, but it really shook him up."

Ron looked as if he had a bad case of the jitters. Harry glanced over at Leo. "Not to be rude, but what are you still doing here?" Harry asked.

"I was, oh right, um," Leo said, glancing around. Everyone was quickly realizing that he was not in the right common room. "I regret nothing!" he shouted, making a break for the main door.

"Shouldn't we say something?" Neville asked. Harry rubbed the back of his neck.

"He was just trying to help. But we should say something about needing a new password," Harry mused.

"Harry, I've got enough trouble remembering the current one," Neville griped. Harry patted him on the back with a sigh.

Leo kept rushing down the stairs, planting his feet on the floor he sought. "Glad I don't need to make that trip everyday," he said, before noting a familiar person looking at him. "Ah, Miss Fleur," Leo said, giving a bow.

"You caused a bit of a stir, didn't you?" she noted, clearly showing that she wasn't thrilled with his behavior. "You put me on ze spot and zen took off to help a friend. I have 'alf a mind to zink you planned it."

"It was a demonstration, nothing more. I kind of thought Ron was putting his expectations a little high with you anyway," Leo admitted. "Myself as well," he added under his breath.

"Be that as it may, it iz getting me a lot of unwelcome attention. I want you to clarify it in front of my friends. They 'ave been going on about how noble you are. But you're a Slytherin, and I don't trust you," she stated simply.

"Not all Slytherin," Leo retorted.

"I know, but it iz not something I am comfortable with," she admitted.

"It's just talk, nothing to worry about," Leo commented, waving it off.

"It would be, but being 'alf-Veela tends to keep things like zis in ze minds of my peers. So I would very much appreciate it if you would do as I ask," she reiterated.

"Well, I would," he said with a smirk. "But I meant every word of it. And I very much doubt, after going too far with you, any girl would call it an insult if I asked them out. Being compared as less than desirable to yourself," he said, walking a circle around her.

"So, you are not going to take it back zen?" she asked, frowning.

"Only if you give me a chance to you," he said with a small smirk. She glared at him. "So hostile and your favor," he added casually, with an air of superiority. Even if he did get smacked down, he was going to play this up.

"If you can beat me in a duel of my choosing and I will go with you. I win, you drop it hard to the point where I want a full apology, with normal flare of course," she decided, smirking cruelly.

"If I didn't have my heart set on another, I would love you for that alone," he said, a true smile on his lips.

"Noted, zis won't take too long," she said, strutting away and swinging her hips. "I want zis done and over with."

"Of course, I agree to your terms," he admitted as she vanished around a corner. "Not that I couldn't twist that outcome in my favor, anyway," he murmured, grinning devilishly.

* * *

><p><strong>Short but sweet this time, ladies and gents. But since you're probably laughing your asses off right now, that could very well be a good thing. So, R&amp;R and let us know what you thought of boys' shenanigans.<br>**

**~LE**


	41. Underhanded Tricks

Magnolia Crescent

Chapter Forty-One

Underhanded Tricks

"Leo, there are easier ways to get a date," Harry noted, watching Leo stretch his muscles.

"Look, Harry, give me some tips. What can she do?" he asked.

"She can do wordless magic, she doesn't stand still at all and she is fast, very fast," he replied with a sigh. He glanced behind him; Ron and Neville were both present as well as was Fleur. Outside of that, nobody else was in the room. Fleur clearly didn't want any of her posse to see her against a lesser duelist.

"Yeah, we all watched the duels. She beat each of you flat out and didn't lose a single match," Neville added. Lee rolled his eyes at the other Gryffindor. "Or you know, you can do your own thing," he said, hastily backpedaling. They looked at Ron, all set up for the match with a bag of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans and a mug.

"What?" he asked, noticing that they were looking at him.

"Well then, I zink we 'ave put zis off long enough," Fleur said, stepping forward and moving onto the table. As she walked, her hips swung in a clam and almost emphasized manner that would catch the eyes of everyone around.

Harry blushed, turning his face away but Ron openly gaped while a fuzzy haze came over his mind. Neville itched at his nose but his cheeks and ears were a deep red that gave him away. But Leo simply stepped onto the table. Both opponents held their wands at the ready, calm smiles on each of their faces.

"Nice try, but isn't that a bit dirty for a half-Veela?" he asked.

"No less zan you deserve, you underhanded, uncultured Brit!" she spat back.

"Well, then, I've put in a precaution to fend off your skill. I hope you don't mind," Leo noted with a smirk.

"You can have all ze preparation in ze world and it will make no difference," she replied easily, snapping her wand to the side.

"Good to know," Leo said, giving a polite smile.

"Um, ready?" Neville asked nervously, holding up a hand as they turned to face each other. He dropped his hand and before Fleur could move, a loud crack echoed around the room. She fell backwards and off the table, cracking her jaw on the edge.

Nobody dared move until Leo swaggered down the table, fueled by self-satisfaction. He flicked his wand and snatched Fleur's out of the air with his other hand. She shook her head to clear it and glared up at him hotly.

"You cheated!" she accused. Leo touched his chest, a look of pure hurt on his face.

"Madam, you wound me. I did only what you allowed – you said I could have any preparation," he said, looking positively hurt that she would accuse him of such a thing. Her eyes flicked to Neville, who was acting as their judge.

"Well, that would be, um, I, well," Neville stammered, seeming to shrink under Fleur's gaze. She was clearly unhappy that he could not give her an answer.

"It was uncalled for, you cheated! That iz a forfeit, now where iz my wand?" she demanded, words barely understandable through her anger.

"Oh, you mean my new wand?" Leo asked, brandishing said wand. "House rules: if you lose your wand during a duel, champion gets to keep it."

"You cheated," she hissed, watching Leo dangle her wand before her.

"I acted in all fair rules. My wand acted faster than yours and that is not a cheat. If you wish to call me out on it, you're more than welcome to bring before the Headmasters," he said, smiling calmly as he placed both wands in a pocket of his robes.

"I have never heard of such a rule," Harry whispered to Ron.

"Do we even read the rules?" he asked, shrugging. Harry looked appropriately sheepish at the comment.

"Fine," Fleur said through clenched teeth. "I will be your date for ze Yule Ball. Now, give me back my wand," she demanded, holding out her hand and shooting daggers at him.

"I think that can wait. You'll get it back after the first dance," Leo decided. "Until then, I am sure an expert duelist such as yourself can enjoy a vacation," he finished with a calm smile. He turned on his heel and walked away, hands in his pockets. Harry, Ron and Neville glanced at her then, without a word, raced after Leo.

"Leo, what the hell?" Harry demanded, looking at the Slytherin in disbelief.

"Is there really a rule such as that?" Ron asked suddenly, voice full of concern.

"There are some applications where a wand will change allegiances if won in combat. But there is no such rule: I made it up," he replied confidently.

"What if she calls you out on this?" Neville asked. "This is stupid risky," he pointed out.

"She won't," Leo said simply. The other three stopped in disbelief. After a second, Leo realized they were no longer following him and turned to look at them. "Pride is a very effective weapon; she would need to call in all the Headmasters because this is an international event. And in doing so, would have to call me out in front of all the Champions. I've done my research. Even if it was just us and our respective Headmasters, the humiliation would be something fierce and naturally, the whole school would know. Her victory in the Tournament would add up to nothing," he explained.

"But the fallout – "

"Would be nothing but beneficial to me. I beat a Champion and took her wand as insurance that she would not go back on her word. Her reputation would be trashed and my house would hail me as a badass for at least a week. But that loss to a virtual nobody would haunt her for the rest of the game," he said, smiling cruelly. "It's more beneficial for her to just give me a dance in exchange for her wand than it is to start whistle blowing. Am I clear?" he asked, narrowing his eyes at each of them.

"Clear," they all agreed at once.

"Dandy," he said, smiling and beginning to walk down the hall again.

"You underhanded bastard," Ron said, watching him walk on in a mixture of awe and angry disbelief.

"Slytherin," Leo said simply, raising both hands as he spun to face them. With that, he vanished down another hall.

"And he was calling me out for being a bad friend," Ron said, shaking his head.

"Well, in all fairness, you were being a bit of a jerk," Neville reminded. Harry and Ron looked at him. "Well, so is he, but at least he is willing to admit it."

"I think you are taking Dumbledore's words from first year a little too close to heart," Ron replied sourly.

"You are Harry's best friend, man, and you up and killed the mood during his celebration," Neville reminded.

"Oh, don't you start as well. I apologized, at least I don't go picking fights with my friends in the middle of the hall," Ron commented. Neville and Ron walked off, still bantering, when Harry felt a prickling sensation on the back of his neck. He turned to see Fleur staring after them from her seat on the hall floor. He quickly raced back to help her up but she brushed him off.

"Zat friend of yours iz a piece of work," she admitted, dusting herself off and adjusting her hat.

"I do apologize. I don't really understand his angle for going after you like this. He's normally not so underhanded," Harry admitted.

"All ze same, I would love nothing more zan to hex 'im," Fleur stated. "I would watch your back with zat one."

"I'll admit, he has his less-than-savory points," Harry acknowledged. "But despite his behavior, I think he has the best out for his friends, not so much for people he labels as adversaries. I do apologize, I'm going to talk with him and see if I can get him to give your wand back," he said, glancing between her and the hall where Leo had disappeared.

"See zat you do," she said coolly, giving him a look that sent a shiver down his spine. She walked away, salvaging her pride to the best of her ability. Harry took a deep breath before racing off to see find Leo in hopes of salvaging the situation – since the French girl was now on the receiving end of the worst behavior possible from a student of Hogwarts.

Harry nearly jumped when he left the room and heard Leo speak suddenly.

"So, took you long enough. I was expecting you to come running at least a minute or so ago," Leo said, smirking at Harry.

"You were?" he asked in surprise.

"Well, that's what I like about you, Harry. I figured you would disapprove of my behavior and, at the very least, say something about it," Leo said. "And I know what you're going to say: be the bigger person and give her back her wand."

"Um, yeah, that sums it up rather well," Harry surmised, glancing at him, his face scrunching up a bit.

"But I am going to do what I believe all men who find themselves in such a position should do," Leo started.

"Um, be nice and let the woman have her way?" Harry tried. While it sounded like a question, it really wasn't.

"Stick to my guns," he finished, completely ignoring Harry's comment.

"You do realize the harm you are doing to her and our school image in general?" Harry asked.

"At the end of all this, do you really think house placement of the school is going to be a big impact?" Leo asked, raising one eyebrow. "Look, the thing is, I did not – and do not – trust her to keep her end of the bargain. So it's insurance. It seems mean, but in my mind's eye, I am being completely reasonable.

"Even if you cheated?" Harry pressed.

"Like I am going up against a superior duelist without a backup place. You must be crazy if you think I am ever going to play fair when fighting dirty is a completely legitimate alternative?"

"And here I keep wondering why you're not in my house," Harry said, rolling his eyes.

"I have heroic traits. I just know when they are more likely to get in the way of living or preventing me from advancing in some way, shape or form," Leo replied with a shrug.

"So, there is an ulterior motive to all this?" Harry asked, looking at Leo.

"Well, of course. I honestly don't care much for these dance things at all," he admitted. Harry felt his jaw drop but nothing came out and he just stared at Leo.

"What possible reason could you have for all this?"

"I just disarmed the most skilled wanduser. I think even the shot to her pride should give you something of an advantage," he replied but Harry didn't seem to be buying it.

"Oh, so this is all about me then, is it?" he asked with an unmistakable hint of sarcasm.

"Something like that."

"Wouldn't happen to have anything to do with a girl who decided to go out with someone else. I mean, going out with a Champion wouldn't be some way of getting back at her for all but ignoring your advances," Harry said, rubbing his fingers along the edge of his robe.

"Nothing like that at all," Leo said, left eye twitching. A very exasperated smile spread over his face. In a moment, he had collected his cool and was impassive once more.

"Good, because that would be very petty of you," Harry noted, shaking his head. "I take it, I won't be able to get you to change your mind?"

"Unless I can find who she is going with and give him the cruelest sickness imaginable that she would need to reconsider," Leo said. "I may need to start doing a bit of research."

"I think you may be taking this a bit too far," Harry replied, watching Leo worriedly.

"Maybe," he admitted, shoulders slumping a bit. "But I already put myself into a position. Besides, you need to be willing to take an advantage or two. I heard you gave your competition a heads up," Leo noted idly.

"Well, I felt we should all be on even playing ground," Harry admitted, shrugging lightly.

"I got my work cut out for me. You do realize that someone is trying to use these games as a means to kill you, right? Take everything that's given to you and then some, or else you're going to end up dead," Leo said seriously.

"Even when it proves more helpful to be giving then to be greedy. After all, the help I give has yet to make my life harder," he pointed out.

"You cannot trust people to do right by you unless they have shown in, at least, the most basic of ways that they are worth their word," he advised.

"Why trust me?" Harry asked.

"You have a natural tendency to be a good person. Your reputation in this school is built on that – despite public opinion swaying in the wind every other week or so," Leo acknowledged.

"So, why are you trying to convince me that being me – being the person you were so willing to trust before you even met me – is a bad idea?" Harry asked. Leo opened his mouth to speak but closed it again.

"Far into the night, when I am half asleep, I shall have your answer," he replied a moment later, pointing at Harry. "But in the meantime, I have dress robes to get prepped and ready," he said. With that, he turned and away. When he had vanished around a corner, Harry slapped his forehead.

"Dammit, I was supposed to get Fleur her wand back," he cursed. He had been sidetracked with a moral debate. Leo Holmes really was an underhanded little devil.

* * *

><p><strong>Poor Fleur. Not much to say besides that. R&amp;R as always, we love to see the reviews coming in!<strong>

**~LE**


	42. Belle of the Ball

Magnolia Crescent

Chapter Forty-Two

Belle of the Ball

"All set," Harry said, adjusting his dress robes. While checking his white bowtie, he glanced over into one of the mirrors set up in a spare classroom.

"This is so embarrassing," Ron groaned, glancing down at his own outfit. The frills and lace were really getting to him now.

"Sirius did offer you a new one," Harry reminded. The Yule Ball was in a few hours and they still had things to set up. He hoped that they could get everything ready soon so that he could get to his position for the main dance.

"Hey, Harry. Hey, Ron," Neville greeted, tugging at the sleeve of his own robe. There was an uncharacteristic smirk on his face. Harry waved back but Ron was still busy lamenting his awful fashion statement to respond. "So, we all have dates – nobody gets left out. Um, Ron, just so you know, this is a onetime thing," Neville said.

"Huh?" Ron said, glancing up when his attention was finally taken away from his suit.

"I didn't mention it, but Ginny sorta felt sorry for me. So we are heading to the ball together," Neville admitted, appearing to shrink while Ron rolled his eyes.

"Don't do anything to cause her any sort of grief," Ron replied, simply shrugging.

"Just so you are aware," Neville added. Leo walked in then and all three simply stared in outfit in shock. He was sporting pure white dress robes, dark green pin stripped vest with silver and a matching tie. His dark blonde hair was slicked back, but loose around his shoulders. All in all, it was an impressive look for him.

"I think black is a bit overused," he stated, an amused smirk on his face while he adjusted his tie. "So, what do you think?" he asked, letting his robes swirl around him a bit.

"Slytherins," Ron muttered, rolling his eyes as he turned back to the mirror and thought of a way to improve his horrid robes. Harry just shook his head in amusement.

"I like it," Neville replied. Leo smile at the compliment while they grouped together. After a few short minutes, Ron joined them as well. They chatted aimlessly about classes and Neville doing his best to direct it towards Herbology.

"So, I let Fleur out of the deal," Leo said when there was a lull in the conversation. Harry's head snapped up.

"Well, that's two bombshells. You got a third one?" he asked, looking over at Leo.

"What's a bombshell?" he asked, a look of confusion on his face. T seemed that Ron and Neville shared his confusion.

"What made you change your mind?" Harry asked instead.

"Your bad influence, that's what," Leo grunted. "I felt bad, forcing her into something. And well, I doubted Hermione would be keen on it if she found out. That wouldn't help me much if I want a chance with her. Speaking of, I wonder who she is going to the ball with?" Leo mused.

"Good on you," Harry commented. "As for Hermione, she can be very tight-lipped when she wants to be. We haven't heard anything from her, but I've got a feeling that we will be finding out soon."

"Well, sucks to be you," Ron said. "No date, huh?"

"Nah, I'll just steal yours when you sit down," Leo replied, unable to resist a cruel smile. Ron frowned at that and quickly pulled himself together. "Speaking of which, who are you going with?"

"Lavender Brown – not that you are going to get a chance to dance with her," Ron replied, looking at Leo suspiciously.

"And Luna with Harry," Neville added. "Not a bad set up over all, in my opinion. Well, excluding one of course, but this is really big, you know," he said, forcing down his excitement.

"I take it he did a lot of mock dancing to keep from embarrassing himself on the dance floor?" Leo asked, pointing to Neville. Ron and Harry both nodded.

"What? Some of us aren't as graceful on our feet as others," Neville huffed while they moved through a corridor. Students in dress robes of all sorts were becoming more and more frequent as they approached the Great Hall.

"Hey, I see Ginny. I'll see you guys later," Neville said, rushing off to greet his date.

"I should try and find Luna as well. Lord knows they are going to make a spectacle of the Champions," Harry grumbled, taking a deep breath and bracing himself.

"Fleur, where iz your dancing companion?" Madam Maxine's voice asked, drifting over the gathering students. Leo glanced around until he spotted the towering Headmistress.

"Looks like I caused a lot more damage than intended. Well, here we go," Leo said, striding off. Harry, who hadn't quite walked off yet, watched amusedly as Fleur all but dragged Leo by his ear, shouting at him for being late. There was a lot of attention their way and Harry squinted in confusion when she grabbed Leo's wrist and dragged him off.

"Time to find Luna," Harry gulped, trying to swallow the uncomfortable feeling in his gut.

"Guess who?" Luna called, practically jumping onto Harry's back and covering his eyes. It came off awkwardly because of his glasses and carefully pried her hands away.

"I was just about to come look – " Harry began to say, turning around. Before he could finish speaking, Luna wrapped her arms around his neck. But instead of pulling him in for a hug, she kissed him. "Uh," Harry replied, vaguely noticing her dress now in his confused state. It was a strapless white dress of reasonable length with what appeared to be flowers on the skirt. In actuality, they were simply twists of the fabric that appeared to cycle through a pastel rainbow.

"Oh, sorry. Since you asked me out, I thought we should have kissed. Did I do a bad job?" she asked. Ron bit his lip in an effort to suppress his laughter and Harry simply blinked at her.

That only thing that seemed capable of coming out of Harry's mouth was 'uh'.

"There you, Potter. Now then, we need all the Champions together," Professor McGonagall said, striding towards Harry and Luna. "Dear boy, what in the world happened to you?" she asked, pressing the back of her hand to his forehead.

"Um," Harry responded, managing to swallow some lump in his throat.

"I have no time for your shenanigans today, Mr. Potter. Would you and your date kindly follow me," she instructed. Luna promptly latched onto his arm as they marched off. Harry was mostly dragged along for the walk.

Leo watched as Harry entered the side room for the Champions while he was clasped next to Fleur. He nodded at Harry, but he was so far away from the dance, he didn't seem to notice. Further along the room, he spotted Hermione and she was just as confused to see him. Zachary and his date, a quiet and shy girl who came from the American school as well, were standing off to the side and chatting quietly.

Leo glanced at her from the corner of his eye before looking back at Harry. Even Cedric had noticed that something was off about him. Leo shook his head when Cedric reached over and tugged at Harry's shoulder.

"Hey, Harry, are you okay?" Cedric asked and even Cho glanced over at him.

"Hey, it's okay to be a little nervous," she added kindly. Harry just looked over at them as if he didn't even know they were standing next to him.

"Sorry, I was a bit shaken up," Harry said, regaining his ability to formulate words after Luna had tried to steal his tongue.

"You cool?" Leo asked, watching Harry carefully. "Think you can handle a night on your feet?"

"I'm fine. It's cool, nothing happened," Harry replied rather quickly. Leo and Hermione both glanced at Luna but she didn't seem bothered by anything.

Everyone was waiting patiently for the dance to begin. Leo slipped his wand out and discreetly pointed it towards Harry's feet but didn't say a word.

"What are you up to?" Fleur hissed when she noticed his wand. Krum and Hermione were going to be the first to enter the dance and they were already walking towards the Great Hall. As soon as they were a few feet away, Cedric and Cho followed. "Well?" Fleur demanded.

"You'll find out if I need to use it," Leo whispered back. It was now their turn and Fleur began to walk. Leo paused for half a second to glance back at Harry. He nearly tripped over his own feet when Luna started forward. "_Decorum et pedes_," Leo whispered, flicking his wand. Harry appeared to regain his footing and calmly marched off, as cool and collected as he had been when he stood against the dragon.

"What did you do?" Fleur hissed. "If you did anything to embarrass him, I swear you will be the one walking funny for the rest of the week!" she threatened. Anything that could possibly mess up the first dance was not a good thing in her book.

"Me, walking funny? I didn't know we were going to start such an activity! I mean, I haven't even taken you out to dinner yet," Leo said with a sly smirk.

"You disgust me so much," Fleur said with a sigh.

"I understand why you think so, and I can't say I blame you. But you really only have yourself to blame for this. You could have had a date all lined up before this or even faked it and said you wanted to keep it to yourself and turned me down on those lines. In the end, you dug your hole just as easily as I took advantage of it," Leo replied.

"You are a snake," she spat. But they quickly clammed up when everyone took their positions. The music for the first dance opened on a quiet chord and all of the Champions seemed to move in sync.

Harry swallowed nervously until he realized that his feet were working quite perfectly. His steps came with very little issues; it was almost magic on the floor with the five Champions and their dates twirling effortlessly.

"You're doing great, Harry," Luna noted with a calm smile. "I didn't know you were so light on your feet."

"Thanks, Luna. I appreciate that," Harry replied, his nerves finally beginning to settle a bit. Not much further in and he found himself actually enjoying the dance. "You know, this isn't as bad as I thought it was going to be," Harry noted idly.

"Fleur seems to be keeping a close eye on us, did you know? Well, more you than me, really," Luna noted. Harry snapped his head around and saw that the Beauxbatons Champion was only focused on Leo. They seemed to be on edge with neither really focusing on the dance.

"You know, this is enjoyable. I was really worried this was going to be uncomfortable, but," Harry admitted, trailing off when he felt himself smile a bit.

"So glad you are taking this well," Luna said. That's when Harry noticed a blush beginning to work its way up her cheeks.

"Looks like we are finally going to have some company," he said, watching Dumbledore take Professor McGonagall's hand and lead her to the dance floor. "That's weird," he noted and Luna looked around.

"A wrackspurt?" she asked, eyes wider than normal.

"Sadly, no," Harry said. "My godfather, he's wearing a scarf of all things. He's told me more than once that he always hated having those things around his neck."

"Oh," she responded simply as the comment had completely lost interest. So much so that she seemed to automatically go rigid.

"Sorry," he said. "Sirius hasn't been himself since school started back up. I guess I have a habit of looking out for those kinds of things."

"Do you think it could be serious? Like a swarm of caput Harum in his head, or something?" Luna suggested, her interest suddenly spiking.

"Who knows. Lupin doesn't seem too bothered by it, and I have been thinking about asking him about it. But it just feels weird. Also, what is a caput Harum?" Harry asked, nearly tripping over the word.

"They are little mouth things that mess with people's heads and cause them to act out of character," she said, glancing at the couples dancing around them. "Want to know something scary?" she asked, leaning in closer.

"Hmm?" Harry asked.

"I think I may have one as well," she whispered close to his ear.

"What makes you think that?" he asked with amusement. She seemed almost childlike in her concern.

"Can't say – it may come out. I like it; if I can catch it and see what it looks like, that would be really cool. But if it thinks I am on to it, it may vanish," she said.

It didn't take long for the music to change and Harry found himself practically swallowed by a sudden crowd. He noticed a small figure surfing over the crowd near him.

"Professor Flitwick?" he asked. Even though the man couldn't hear him, it was clearly Professor Flitwick. Harry, finally sick of the mosh pit that had once been the dance floor, soon extricated himself, Luna in tow. The first person he spotted when he glanced around was Neville near the punch bowl. Harry walked over, feeling rather light on his feet and exchanged a smile.

"Here you go, Harry. You look like you could use something to perk you up," Neville said, offering a drink before dishing up another one.

"Thanks. I take it things are going well for you?" he asked, taking a sip. "What is this?" he asked in bewilderment.

"Yes, they are and I have no idea, to be honest," Neville replied. "All that practice paid off, Harry. But when did you become such a good dancer? It was like you weren't even paying attention to your feet and yet, you danced like you were born to," he commented, raising his cup. "Unlike Ron," he added. Harry then noticed that Lavender was keeping Ron on the dance floor, no matter his attempts to do otherwise.

Harry finished off his drink and noted that Sirius had vanished on him. He was trying to keep his mind from going into the reasons why. He figured Sirius would at least say hello or something. Ron was now struggling to pull his wrist out of Lavender's firm grip while they danced towards the edge of the floor.

"So, were you as surprised as I was to find that Hermione was coming here with Krum, of all people?" Neville asked, as they both spotted her in the crowd.

"Yeah," Harry admitted. "I've got a feeling that Leo will have his work cut out for him if they, well," Harry trailed off, feeling his collar tighten a bit. He didn't like the idea of Hermione going out with a Quidditch star – more importantly, someone he didn't know at all.

"Ah, I get what you're saying," Neville caught on. "Going to ask her about it?"

"None of my business, to be honest. I don't much care for it when she butts into mine so I will leave her be unless she asks," Harry replied and Neville nodded.

"What did she stir up?" Neville asked. Then he seemed to realize what he had asked and quickly glanced away. "Sorry, it's none of my concern."

"It's in the past and no longer an issue, but thanks for not pressing me on it," Harry said gratefully.

"Hey!" someone shouted. They were both surprised to see Leo in a not nearly as pressed coat and he greeted them with both hands above his head.

"Having fun?" Neville asked casually.

"A ball," he replied with a grin, ladling a glass of his own punch. He pulled out his wand and hovered the glass close before putting it away. "So, Victor Krum," he said, voice dropping dangerously. There was a very calculating look in his eye. Neville and Harry glanced away from each other.

"Seems so," Harry replied, noticing that the fun and humor had just vanished. "So, how is Fleur doing?"

"I think I made a lifelong enemy of her and if word ever gets out, I've got a feeling that a lot of women will never forget it. But other than that, she seems to have let her hair down," Leo admitted with a light shrug.

"Still beating yourself up on that, huh?" Harry asked. Neville looked between them in confusion.

"It was a mistake – one that, if Ron ever feels vindictive, could put me in a really bad position if he chooses to use it. I doubt Neville here would ever be that mean, but Ron," Leo said, trailing off with a small grimace. "It's making it hard to enjoy myself when I'm just thinking about the fallout."

"Ron wouldn't be that mean," Harry said. "Sure, he can be a bit rough, but he wouldn't be that mean. You did try to let her out of the ordeal," he pointed out.

"Too little, too late. Besides, with women, it's the intent that counts. Take you and the Triwizard Tournament; even if you live, I would think the fact that someone went so far to simply kill you would keep you on your toes," Leo countered. Harry felt his own good mood vanishing as he slipped into a more paranoid state of mind.

"Fair point. But to be honest, it's been slow going on that front," Harry admitted.

"Wouldn't be a bad idea to start looking around. You would be surprised what people will talk about when they think everyone else is doing their own thing," Leo advised with a massive smile appeared on his face. He waved at them sharply and headed back onto the dance floor.

Harry tossed his cup into the bin and Neville glanced at him.

"Something up?" he asked and Harry simply shook his head.

"I need to talk with my godfather. We need to sort some things out and I think he may have been putting things off a bit too much," he said, more to himself than anything. With that, he walked off to find Sirius.

* * *

><p><strong>Sirius, are you feeling okay?<strong>

**Don't worry, there are more shenanigans in the Yule Ball to come.  
><strong>

**~LE**


	43. The Worst Ball Ever

Magnolia Crescent

Chapter Forty-Three

The Worst Ball Ever

Harry left the noisy Hall behind him and moved into the empty corridor. "Sirius?" he called out. The music faded a bit when the door closed behind him. He frowned thoughtfully when he noticed Hagrid vanishing around a corner with another shadow. "Priorities," he murmured, letting out a sigh when he didn't see Sirius. He entertained the idea of trying to hunt him down on foot but there was a quicker and more sure way of tracking down his godfather. Harry felt a twinge of guilt at the thought of using the map. But his own safety trumped his desire to give his godfather some privacy.

He raced through the empty castle and, after a quick word to the Fat Lad, into the Gryffindor common room. The Marauder's Map was somewhere near the bottom of his chest and it took a moment of digging before he grabbed hold of it.

"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good," Harry said, feeling that the words might never have rang truer. "Sirius, Sirius," he murmured, quickly scanning the map. The Great Hall and the ball within was a nightmare to scan but his godfather wasn't there. He was scanning the dungeons when a peculiar name caught his eye.

"Barty Crouch?" he questioned, staring at the map in disbelief. He stared harder when he realized that the name was floating inside the Potions cupboard of all places. Harry frowned at it but shook his head and brushed it aside. He didn't have time to question the map; he really needed to find Sirius. And he finally found him sitting up in his office.

"Well, that certainly makes things easier. I wonder if I should mention Barty Crouch in the Potions room to anyone," he mused, clearing the map and stuffing it into a pocket. He'd figure it out later; with Sirius located, he raced down to the Defense Against the Dark Arts office.

"What did you do to 'Arry?" Fleur demanded, glaring at Leo all the way down in the Yule Ball. He shrugged as he handed her a drink.

"I charmed his shoes so he wouldn't fall. And added a bit of rhythm to make it less likely that he'd trip," Leo admitted, deciding that the honest route was best.

"Oh, zat was nice of you," she complimented rather disjointedly. Leo shrugged again.

"I like to do a bit of both good and bad. I think balance is everything when it comes to living a good life," Leo acknowledged, watching Professor Flitwick be passed around the hall. "Someone really should do something about that."

"So, what would ze interactions with me be?" Fleur asked and Leo smirked.

"What I did was wrong," he confessed, glancing over to see Hermione dancing with Krum. There was a happy smile on her face.

"Would you do it again?" Fleur asked in a neutral tone.

"Not sure on that one," Leo replied while the music faded out. Fleur frowned but didn't explode at him.

"Well, just so you know, I will get you back for zis," she stated. With her punch finished, she stalked off through the crowd. Leo sighed, lingering by the punch table and glaring through the crowd. Fleur had found another dance in a Ravenclaw he vaguely remembered as Roger Davies. With an exhilarated sigh, Hermione waltzed over and grabbed a drink of her own.

"Enjoying the ball?" Leo asked causally. He tried to hide the disgruntled note in his voice.

"Oh, it's so wonderful," she exclaimed. "Victor is such a gentlemen and the dancing is just perfect!" she gushed, a look of pure enjoyment on her face.

"Well, that makes one of us," Leo grumbled in an undertone.

"I'm sorry, didn't catch that," Hermione asked, watching him curiously.

"Oh, um, that's great," he said quickly, covering his slipup. Hermione narrowed her eyes at him but let it pass.

"Why are you over here all alone?" she asked instead, brushing a lock of hair away from her face. Leo hesitated, wondering what he should tell her. "Leo?" she pressed, waving a hand in front of his face.

"Um, just getting a drink is all," he said instead. "Besides, Davies asked to have a dance with Fleur."

"Odd, it seemed like you guys had a bit of an argument. Or did I see things wrong?" she asked. Leo shrugged his shoulders.

"Who knows," he replied.

"Leo, you better not be lying to me," she threatened, glaring at him for a moment. "You have a look about you when you lie."

"Hermione, you wound me!" he scoffed, one hand on his chest. "Why would I ever lie to a beautiful woman such as yourself?"

"Hey, has anyone seen Harry?" Luna asked, skipping towards them. She brushed her hair back and let out an exhausted breath. "I just got done dancing with Neville but I was hoping Harry might want to dance again." Hermione threw a look towards Luna.

"Leo, I know you better than you think. You'll lie for whatever suits you best," she said. "I'd hate to lose trust in you just because you thought lying to me was going to suit you." With that, she tossed her cup in the trash and walked away to find Krum.

"Did I miss something?" Luna asked quizzically, looking between a retreating Hermione and an angry Leo.

"Nothing, Luna. And no, I haven't seen Harry in a while," he replied, pinching the bridge of his nose and sighing irritably.

"Is this a bad time, Leo? You seem upset," Luna noted.

"No, it's fine. It's just, this dance isn't turning out like I hoped it would," Leo replied.

"Are you positive? I'm pretty sure I've seen some Nargles floating about. It is the perfect time of year for them to infect people's minds," Luna said dreamily.

"Why do you say that?" Leo asked, playing along with her.

"Well, they reside in mistletoe. It's always placed around during Christmas, such as right there," she pointed out, looking at a bunch hanging near Leo's left shoulder. He quickly scooted away from it and scanned the crowd for Fleur again. He might be able to still salvage the night if he could find her.

"She's right over there, chatting with Roger," Luna offered, pointing to a corner of the Hall.

"Who?" Leo asked, but looked in the direction she pointed.

"Fleur, of course," she added, smirking slightly. "Go and talk to her. I thought she was your date anyways."

"Well, she is, kinda. Or not, I'm not sure anymore," Leo stumbled, trying to get Luna to see the right idea.

"I know, just your date for the dance," Luna said, rocking back and forth on her heels. "Now are you going to talk to her or what?"

"Yeah, I suppose. Maybe I can smooth things over with her," he grimaced. Luna smiled, giving a small giggle. The walk across the Hall felt strangely never-ending for him. By the time he finally got over to Fleur, she looked down at him with disdain.

"Yes?" she sniffed.

"Fleur, I want to apologize again," Leo started. "I know what I did was wrong and I really shouldn't have done it. I just don't know what I was thinking."

"Never do it again," she stated in a tight voice. She flipped her hair over her shoulder and made to turn towards Davies once more. But she appeared to have another thought and turned back around. That's when Leo felt the world suddenly go dark.

After a few seconds, he found himself on the ground and his left cheek stinging something fierce. Fleur stalked off into the crowd while someone grabbed his arm to haul him to his feet.

"Leo, what in the world? Why did she do that?" Hermione's voice asked. There was another pair of hands on his other side to pull him up. His legs finally began to work again. Hermione led him to a seat after watching it happen. Ron was on his other side, all too keen to get out of the dance.

"Ow, that chick has a strong swing," Leo admitted, groping for the chair he was being lowered into.

"Why did she smack you? You seemed to be getting along really well," Hermione noted. Ron glanced away and Leo wasn't sure if the heat in his own face was from Fleur's backhanding or from the sudden attention.

"I'll tell you later. It's a bit of a story and I think someone else wants to spend time with you," he said, frowning at Krum waiting for Hermione. She brightened up even as Leo slouched in his seat.

"I expect an explanation later," she said, pointing at him before heading back to the dance floor.

"Don't think she will be dissuaded. She will want the full story," Ron pointed out. Leo grunted in agreement, having already known this. Ron sat down in a nearby seat, happy to get off his feet as well. "So, we both hate Victor Krum?" he asked, staring out across the dancing crowd.

"Do you even have to ask?" Leo grunted, staring at Ron with a raised eyebrow. He turned to glare at the Qudditch star.

"I take it you are going to pull something on him?" Ron asked instead. Leo's only reply was a dangerous smirk while the gears in his mind began to turn. "I'll take that as a yes," Ron said calmly. Leo was thinking hard; he would need to put in some extra time to get back at him. But it was all in good fun, of course.

Harry slipped around a corner on his way to the fifth floor but slammed into someone much taller than him.

"Harry?" Sirius asked, reaching out to steady his godson. "What's the rush?" he asked and Harry frowned.

"I was wondering something – Leo brought it up – is there anything that has come up recently?" Harry asked, practically spitting the words out.

"Harry, there are better times to talk about this then during the Yule Ball," Sirius replied calmly, looking down at him.

"I have been so busy as of late, but it seems like a good time to talk. You got up here awful fast; last I checked, you were still in your office. And, what's with the scarf?" he asked in just as calm a manner. Sirius pulled at it in a slightly nervous motion.

"I'll tell you when you are older," he replied, trying to hide a smirk. "And I just move rather fast. Other than Karkaroff, I really don't have a 'second person', so to speak. Unless, has the map show anyone else wandering around?"

"Well, Barty Crouch was in the Potions cupboard and I saw you in your office. Which is why I was on my way down," Harry admitted.

"Hmmm, I wonder," Sirius murmured, putting one hand to his chin. "No, it's not possible." By now, Sirius was pulling at his mustache.

"What is it?" Harry asked, watching Sirius closely.

"I am not sure; but this is concerning all the same. Harry, can I see the map?" he asked. Harry immediately pulled it out of his pocket.

"I solemnly swear I am up to no good," Sirius said, tapping the parchment with his wand. He scanned it so quickly, Harry couldn't follow. After stopping for a brief second, he folded it up and tapped it once more. "Mischief managed," he muttered and handed it back to Harry.

"What is it?" Harry asked. Sirius turned to walk away.

"It's nothing I can't handle, Harry. Go back to the ball; I should have this taken care of rather quickly," Sirius assured him. Harry tried to argue but Sirius stopped him with a glare. "I've got your back, Harry. Lupin and I have dealt with these things before. So try to have fun while I take care of this," he said. Harry frowned but stood up straight.

"I am coming with you," he said, holding his ground.

"I am wasting time," Sirius muttered. "Fine, I can't really think of any reason to keep you out of this," he admitted, striding off at a quick pace and moving lower and lower into Hogwarts.

"Oblivate!" a voice cried right before they could turn a corner. Sirius slumped to the floor and Harry spun around, eyes wide. But he suddenly slumped to the ground as well. The shadowy wizard glanced over Harry and Sirius, patting down their bodies. He frowned when he found nothing on Sirius. But he pulled out a stack of blank parchment from one of Harry's pockets. He stood to his feet, rustling through them before pocketing them.

"You did what?!" Hermione shouted. She was now fully glaring at Leo, who winced under her gaze. "Why I even considered you a good person – you chased after my friends and now, have all but forced someone to go out with you," she hissed.

"It was a mistake," Leo started but Hermione glared at him. He quickly clamped his mouth shut.

"Do you understand why the competition is here?" she snarled. Leo shook his head, trying to keep from shrinking under her glare. "It's to help build relations between schools. And here you are, actively knocking them down!" Leo didn't respond and stood completely still. Hermione looked to Ron. He quickly ducked behind Leo and out of her gaze.

"Look, I regret it. I let her out of the obligation and gave her back her wand, okay? Fleur couldn't find another date so she went with me. I tried to back out but it didn't work. I even apologized and I do not plan on making her day any worse by trying to explain it," Leo rushed out.

"What was going through your head? That you considered it a good idea to do this?" Hermione asked. Leo muttered something too quiet for even Ron to hear. "Pardon?"

"I was jealous," he mumbled, a little perturbed.

"You have no self-control whatsoever, do you?" she asked.

"I do, I just don't exercise it very well when it comes to you," he admitted.

"Don't do anything like this ever again. No more instigating. Do I make myself clear?" Hermione asked, glaring at them hotly. Leo nodded and she walked off up the stairs.

"So, still going to go through with the prank?" Ron asked after Hermione was gone. Leo shrugged, glancing back at Krum.

"I may need to take a more hands off approach," he admitted. "But I've got a feeling that won't be too much of an issue."

"I still think she is fraternizing with the enemy," Ron replied sourly, frowning in the direction of the stairs.

"Meet Dante and Alec here in the morning. We need to start working soon; we've only got so much time left.

"Where is the nurse?" someone cried. The music screeched to a halt and everyone glanced to see Brom rushing through the halls. Floating behind him were Sirius and Harry.

"Follow me, I know where to go," Ron called out, leading the Headmaster. Leo flew after him with Professor McGonagall close behind.

"Filius, make sure you keep an eye on things!" she hollered to the Charms professor. She hadn't even turn to look and failed to notice that he was still in the grasp of a frozen crowd.


	44. Oblivate

Magnolia Crescent

Chapter Forty-Four

Oblivate

Harry grimaced, blinking up at the ceiling of what must have been the hospital wing. The stone columns were arched almost like a cathedral and it was the only place in the school where it did so. All he could remember was walking through a corridor with Sirius. And then, nothing. His immediate thought was that someone had charmed his memory; though he had no idea why. When he tried to recall the details of what happened, there was a fuzzy feeling in his mind that practically confirmed a memory charm.

_Okay, so if someone charmed my memory, do I still have…?_ Harry thought to himself, reaching into his pocket but found all of them empty.

"Of course," he grumbled, swinging his feet over the edge of the bed.

"What do you mean you 'can't find him'?" Lupin shouted. Harry fully took in the rest of the hospital wing. All of the beds were empty. "This is your school! Nothing happens in this school without, hell, _someone_ knowing! How could Sirius just up and vanish from the hospital wing?!" he shouted, voice seeming louder than normal as it bounced off the stone walls. Harry leaped out of bed, racing to the hall and finding Lupin staring down Dumbledore while Professor McGonagall stood in between the two men. He blinked in confusion and they all paused to look at him.

"I was Oblivated," Harry announced and he could have sworn that everyone's shoulders dropped.

"Hmm, this is troubling. Why Sirius?" Dumbledore asked, continuing with a previous conversation.

"If I may, perhaps he got too close to the culprit," a fourth voice offered. Headmaster Brom appeared around a corner.

"It would explain the memory charm. But why take Sirius and not Potter?" Professor McGonagall asked.

"It does seem as if the culprit has no issues with leaving Harry alone – despite how easily they took Sirius from his bed. That is, if they managed to get Sirius out of the grounds at all," Brom replied.

"A good point. Do you think?" Dumbledore started, looking at Brom.

"Yes, I do. It would be best to," he replied.

"Wouldn't that be going a bit far?"

"You're right, the panic could cause more issues than are needed."

"So perhaps a much more…."

"Yes, but we need to act fast," Brom concluded. The two headmasters nodded in unison before rushing out of the hall. They had a speed that was faster than any man half of their age.

"What in the world?" Harry questioned, looking at the two remaining adults for clarification. Lupin shrugged while McGonagall just shook her head.

"As if one wasn't enough," she sighed, calmly walking out of the corridor.

"Just in time to lose him again," Lupin groaned, slumping into a chair. Harry glanced over at him curiously. "Of all the things," he said, cupping his jaw in one hand. Harry sat down next to him, sighing a bit as well.

"Harry, do you still have the map?" Lupin asked, his mind jumping to a possible explanation.

"No, it's gone as well," he replied glumly. Lupin sulked even more, if that was possible.

"I just hope the map wasn't open when they found it," he admitted, musing for a moment. Harry sat beside him silently, unsure of what to do himself. "Harry, how good is your Animagus transformation?" Lupin asked suddenly. He looked at Harry very calmly.

'_This is it, the world now makes no damn sense_,' Harry thought to himself some time later while sniffing through corridors. Lupin hung in the background, wand at the ready in case of trouble. Harry found himself doubling back every so often; Sirius sure did make his rounds in the dungeon.

"This is slow going," Lupin finally complained. "We have passed that damn Potions cupboard five times," he griped, trying to hide the emotion in his voice. But Harry's canine ears picked up on even faintest hint of noise.

"Arf!" he barked. The sound still felt weird on his tongue and he couldn't help the strange tingling sensation from the transformation. The legs, the smells – dear Lord, the smells. Every time he moved, he caught a new scent and they seemed to appear in his human brain, allowing him to follow their trail. Harry mused, catching a scent he didn't much care for. Harry stopped suddenly and Lupin nearly tripped over him. Professor Snape turned the corner, staring down at the dog disdainfully.

"I didn't know dogs were allowed on the school grounds," he mused dryly, looking to Lupin for an answer.

"Special permission for a tracking dog. Sirius has gone missing," Lupin explained quickly. Harry sat down to wait, feeling that Snape wasn't going to just walk off. He had to always spite someone at one thing or another.

"Ah, well don't expect to see me weeping in sorrow or jumping for joy at that," he replied with a calm voice. Harry shuffled; something about the greasy man's scent angered him suddenly.

"Well, let's not ask for miracles, I know how well you two liked each other. Now, if you don't mind, I need to find my friend," Lupin stated, attempting to walk past Snape.

"Hmph, I will never understand why you, of all people, hung around with Potter and Black," he said calmly, stopping Lupin in his tracks.

"Because with them, good or bad, they were always clear with their intentions. And Sirius still is. I don't Lily – on her best day – could understand you," Lupin replied. Snape stepped forward menacingly and Harry lunged, teeth tearing at Snape's leg. The Potions professor leapt back in the nick of time. He stared down at the dog that was baring it's fangs at him.

"Do try and keep that mongrel on a leash," he snarled, storm off with his cloak billowing out behind him. Lupin watched him disappear before kneeling on the ground and looking at Harry.

"Harry," he said with a frown. Harry's ear dropped and licked at Lupin's hand. "I swear you're turning into Sirius. You're just as bad as he is," he grumbled. The shepherd went back to sniffing the ground, emitting a sound that was quite close to a chuckle.

Harry tried pulling a face at the comment; he would not normally instigate the Potions professor but for some reason, he just couldn't control himself. Some kind of intent hit him as well as rage. He felt a whimper pass his lips and he shook his head. He had never stayed in dog form this long and it was beginning to trouble him.

"Lupin!" a voice called in a rasp. "Dear god, I haven't run this far in a while. Oh boy," Brom panted, skidding to a stop beside them. He doubled over, hands on his knees while he panted for breath.

"Brom, it's, um, weren't you working with Dumbledore?" Lupin asked. He was grateful for his arrival but he was still very confused.

"We've got things moving along. A large group of Aurors are on their way and Dumbledore has locked down the castle. And he's asked every magical hand in the forest to be on high alert. We made sure that we had the thinnest toothcomb available – all that's left is to start looking," Brom said, finally recovering and standing up with a smile.

"You stupid son of a mudblood!" a voice cursed. Sirius blinked rapidly, trying to clear his vision that was fuzzier than his Animagus form after a downpour.

"I panicked; I'm not supposed to be here," another voice replied. Sirius frowned, seeing nothing but shadows and a faint bit of light from a fireplace.

"You may have blown everything. And now, we have to get rid of him! Shouldn't you be taking care of our master and not trying to watch over me?" the first voice hissed. Sirius tried to rub at his face but found his arm wouldn't move from the arm of the chair he was sitting in.

"We have had no reports in. I am trying to keep everything known to him. Despite being on the edge of death, he does not want nor can he afford for this to be screwed over. We don't have the time or men and you have not been reporting in. You don't even have an excuse – all you have been doing is hanging around this school," the second voice hissed right back.

"I have been planning. The boy has been rather good at passing these tests on his own. So I've mostly been putting in applications for contingencies. Not to mention the stupid Americans got involved."

"Well the least you could do is to send out a bloody owl before I get sent back here again," he snarled. "I have things to work with as well. And I am getting sick of having to come back and forth because of your inability to communicate."

"I would like a cookie," Sirius mumbled out, trying to look around the room at his companions.

"Can they find us here?" the second man asked, interrupting Sirius.

"No, this room isn't on any map. We should have time for now, but I can't go missing for long. And neither can he," the other man replied coolly.

"Should we kill him?" the man asked, moving closer and pressing his wand into Sirius's neck. Sirius opened his eyes but his head was being pushed upwards and he couldn't make out any features of the man threatening him. "Avada – " he started when he wasn't answered.

"Wait, it's a long shot – a very long shot – but if he dies here and now, we would bring down the full force of the Ministry. If they haven't already and if this causes an international incident, it would make my job impossibly difficult. Oblivate him and leave him in his office or something. Anything to try and throw people off; if we're lucky, they'll think he had a bit too much firewhiskey at the ball. But I have a feeling this will work out. Now, use the Floo powder and get out of here," the man hissed. Sirius closed his eyes, leaning his head back against the chair.

'_Now then, let's see if James' little theory works_,' Sirius thought to himself. The man muttered something right as he shifted to his Animagus form. The memory charm whizzed over his back and Sirius chanced half a glance after it before he shifted back and reached for his wand. He crashed into the chair, wand in hand while he rolled to his knees. As he shot out red sparks, the shadowed figure made a break for the fireplace. Green flames temporarily blinded Sirius but not before he got a glimpse at the man's face.

"Nott," Sirius growled, watching the green flames disappear in the fireplace. As he was putting his wand away, he heard a strange scratching from the door. "Harry!" he called in a panic, racing for the door. When he opened it, he found himself face to face with Lupin.

"Sirius!" Lupin exhaled, throwing his arms around his best friend. Sirius felt a dog leap onto his chest and he staggered from the combined weight. Lupin let him go and Harry shifted back to normal. "What happened? I was worried sick!" Lupin demanded in a roar. Brom had to pull him back to get Lupin to settle down.

"Get a room, you two," Brom grunted, glaring them in the eye. "You've been Oblivated. Let me see your wand," he demanded and Sirius held it up. Brom immediately brought up his own wand, touching the tips together. Faint red sparks burst from between them. "Good to know. We need to reconvene and call off the search. Remus, why don't you and Harry return to the main hall. Um, get something to drink and let his friends know that everything is back to normal. Or what accounts for normal here. I've had more excitement here than I've had in over thirty years at Salem," Brom said with a heavy sigh. He glanced at Harry when a thought came to him. "Let me know if you ever want to escape all this and just get an education," he noted, walking down the hall.

"I think he is secretly enjoying this," Sirius whispered to Lupin. He glanced back at Sirius with a bit of annoyance.

"Not all of us take a leaf from the book you and James had. Some, in fact, would like to have a pleasant life over an exciting one," he replied.

"So what room is this," Sirius asked, glancing at the door.

"I don't recall it on the map, to be honest," Lupin admitted. "All the same, we should keep an eye on it. Where did your captors go anyway?"

"They somehow have a Floo network hooked up in the fireplace. I plan on coming back to check it out later. If we can track it down, we should be able to at least get some idea as to where Nott went to," Sirius replied.

"Nott? What in the world is he doing here? He was never a major player with the Death Eaters. Nothing more than a rich name that worked for You-Know-Who," Lupin replied. "He could even be called a poor man's Lucius but appearing here? That's ballsy."

"I don't think he planned out his little escapade. The other person seemed very upset at his attack on Harry and I. They are up to something; I just wish the Ministry wasn't so bullheaded. I would love to start an investigation but with my reputation and nobody getting hurt, I doubt they are going to do anything. We are going to have to take things into our own hands if we are going to figure this out," Sirius said.

"So since I am going to be in the main hall, care to explain what happened?"

"Well, I'm guessing that Harry made use of his nose to find me," Sirius mused, a small smile on his face. "Let's just say that I found something that led me to them – at least partially. We should keep the map close and start watching for Nott," he added with a firm nod of his head. Harry's face fell.

"Um, it's missing. I think we had it on us but whoever was with this Nott must have taken it," he replied, wringing his hands slightly.

"Do you think it was active?" Lupin asked, horror striking him. Sirius and Harry shared a panicked look.

"I have no idea; all I can recall is that I had it on me. Sirius took it and saw something on it. After that," he said, shrugging. Then an idea seemed to hit him. "Wait, can we make another map?" Sirius clenched his teeth, jaw tensing as he made a queer movement with his lips. Lupin scratched at the back of his head.

"Well, the map was special. It was a – " Sirius started, trying not to admit what the map was all about.

"A what?" Harry pressed, unsure of what they were talking about.

"It was a creation that needed all of us: James, Peter, Sirius and I. We all had our own secret that made it impossible to recreate. Unless we had all agreed on the matter," Lupin explained.

"Oh, so what did you two do?" Harry asked, causing Sirius to smile sadly.

"Harry, I can see that you are trying to think of a way to fix this situation. But I highly doubt that you could figure out your dad's secret," Sirius said.

"What do you mean?"

"He's the one that discovered every secret passage on that map. Peter detailed all the parts of the school that we, as boys, couldn't get into. It took James almost three years to work out the passage to Hogsmeade," Sirius recalled fondly.

"Ah, not mention we forbid you from going into the girls' dormitory or anything close to that. But I worked on the name charm – which was a lot of work. But I have to admit, I still have the charm," Lupin added.

"What about you, Sirius?" Harry asked.

"Me, well," Sirius paused to close his eyes. "The idea was mine. I drew up the maps and cast the spells that would draw out the locations. It took a long time just to get every part of the damn castle worked out. Not to mention, organizing the damn papers," he said.

"Nothing quite like it, huh?" Lupin asked.

"Sounds like a lot of work, but doable," Harry said thoughtfully after a minute. "How does it seem impossible; you know roughly what my dad and Pettigrew did."

"Great, another one," Lupin murmured. "I knew you would be a bad influence on him."

Harry frowned, glancing around to see the door was gone and realized that he had felt good in the warmth of the conversation. He took a deep breath; everything that had just happened served as a reminder that he was still in great danger. It didn't matter how much success he had made so far in the Tournament.

"What if they want me to win?" he mused out loud, cutting the conversation short.

"That's a very Lily like thing to say," Sirius breathed. Every day with Harry struck chords in his heart; he was every bit of Lily and James that he missed most. "Hmm, I wonder. When I get a chance, I will see if I can get a bit out of the next event. Something about that seems doable. Thank you, Harry, you've given me something to think about."

* * *

><p><strong>Alright, Sirius is back safe and sound. Well, as sound as he ever was XD. Anyways, R&amp;R for what you thought of that ball ruining. <strong>

**~LE**


	45. The Moonlight's Calling

Magnolia Crescent

Chapter Forty-Five

The Moonlight's Calling

Sirius sat behind his desk, staring down at scattered parchment and paperwork. He slammed his fists on the wood, swearing that Nott was involved somehow but without any evidence, there was nothing he could do.

"I take it being on the opposite side is not any more pleasant?" Lupin asked, strolling through the Defense classroom. He set his goblet down on the desk, still smoking.

"So, that time of the month, huh?" Sirius asked and Lupin frowned at his colleague.

"Don't get smart. I hate this damn ailment and comments like that are just weird," he snipped, looking at the sun low in the sky.

"Well, to be honest, after today, I could go for a run," Sirius noted, standing from his desk and stretching. Lupin practically went wide-eyed at the remark.

"You can't let me out. I could hurt someone," he whispered, horrorstruck.

"We both know that keeping yourself locked up in that house is not good for your health," Sirius chided. "You look twenty years older than me and I spent over a decade in Azkaban. You're going on a run with me tonight, end of story. It will do your body good."

"I can't, Sirius. I could hurt someone," Lupin replied with wide eyes.

"Lupin, the wolf has had a potion. You are in more control than ever before. Besides, restricting the werewolf is taking a toll on your body. You need to be able to run around and I can keep an eye on you," Sirius refuted.

"Sirius, that was a dumb idea. And it's even more so with three other international schools on the grounds. If I bit someone…" Lupin trailed off. Sirius stood up and clapped a hand on his shoulder.

"Remus," he said, grabbing his other shoulder. "You will not harm anyone while I am here. I know the risks and I will keep you far away from the school. Besides, I've already talked to Dumbledore about it and he agrees," he added simply.

"WHAT?" Lupin shouted, staring at him in disbelief. Sirius moved back to his desk and pulled out a book on werewolves.

"You know I am right. We've got everything in place. And best yet, I won't be the only one out with you tonight," he replied, a slight smile on his face while Lupin's look of shock turned into confusion.

"Since when did you start covering bases at all?" Lupin asked. Sirius leaned back in his chair, hands clasped behind his head.

"Just run, Lupin. Stretch out those muscles and let's create some good times," he said with a smile. Lupin frowned, seeing that he couldn't argue anymore on the matter.

Sometime later, Harry paced a forest clearing. Sirius stood nearby, packing some new snow on the ground. The Whomping Willow towered in the distance, outlined by a slowly setting sun.

"Thanks for coming," Sirius noted, smiling down at his godson who was doing his best to simply keep warm. "You know the drill, right? Don't get too far away and if you lose the path, just follow the footprints. Lupin has had some potion so he shouldn't be antagonistic at all. Even more so when we are dogs," he added. "All the same, no unnecessary risks, got it?"

"_Oh come on, James? What could go wrong?"_ Sirius heard himself asking James when they had been younger.

"Right, and if he starts moving towards the school?" Harry asked.

"Howl, he'll respond to it. Now then, you won't be doing this often. But since it's a holiday break, I figured you should get some practice in," Sirius said.

"Do you think I should register?" Harry asked, looking at his godfather.

"Maybe after you graduate," he replied casually. "Or until after Voldemort has been pushed so far into the dirt, he could never get out," he grunted to himself.

"Won't they, you know?" Harry asked, grimacing.

"Not a student, no. If they catch you, all they can do is require you to write it down and let you off with a warning. You're too important to people to lock up so that gives you a bit of leeway," Sirius replied calmly, taking a deep breath of cold air.

"What about you?" Harry asked.

"Me? Heck no, I've got my wand back and I am keeping my secret. But I don't want – nor expect – you to take my risks, okay Harry? Besides, what's two years to a guy like me?" he asked.

"Your happy memories?" Harry replied.

"The Dementors, Harry, may look like death but they are not. It's more about emotions, almost a forced depression. When you feel it weigh down on you harder and harder, it gets easier to forget the good things. It's easy to want to just get it all over with. While the Dementors can rob you of your soul, they can't kill you in the physical sense of the word."

"Oh," Harry said, looking at Sirius and shifting as if he suspected there was more his godfather's understanding than just his explanation.

"That, however, does not make them any less dangerous. But if you have to be around them, in most cases Azkaban will be the safest. When they are hunting is when you have to worry," Sirius explained.

"Why are you telling me all of this?" Harry asked.

"To pass time and distract me from the cold," Sirius answered with a grin. The sun was slowly setting and reflecting off the snow while the moon slid into it's spot in the sky. Sirius closed his eyes, recalling a moment of their youth.

James, Remus and even Peter raced through the snow. The night air was brisk and draining. Behind closed lids, he could remember the crunch of fresh snow beneath his paws, the forest oddly alive with sounds as they rushed through it. And then Prongs was beside him, antlers purposefully catching snow laden branches and sending it through the air in flurries. Playfully enraged, he nipped at his heels, chasing his friends through the night. It was a beautiful memory.

"Ahooooooo!" an animal called. Sirius turned sharply, watching the deep of the forest for a moment. Silently, he slid into his canine form and Harry quickly followed suit.

Moony stepped out onto the snow and Harry began to flinch. But Moony only howled and raced off into the forest. Padfoot felt adrenaline flood his system and he tore off after his friend. The werewolf crashed through trees while Padfoot leapt over a fallen log. Harry trailed behind them as he was still smaller than his godfather.

The night passed effortlessly with the small group romping through the snow and the woods. Spiders and beasts scattered in their wake, burrowing deep inside their holes at the sound of Moony's howl.

Suddenly Padfoot stopped and though Harry tried to follow, his long legs tripped him up and he crashed into a snow bank with a sharp yip. He poked his head out of the bank, snow coating his head. With a quick shake, he sent it flying. After it cleared, he noticed that Padfoot had turned to watch a small frozen pond nearby.

Moony had stumbled upon it and slipping around the ice, trying to regain his balance. Harry glanced at Padfoot with an amused look while Moony tried to claw the ice and keep steady. But his claws merely left gouges in the ice and his legs fell out beneath him, causing him to land on his belly and spin. Both canines looked at each other and promptly started a very dog-like laughter, rolling in the snow.

Harry couldn't breathe and ended up sneezing out snow while Moony slowly crawled to the shore. Padfoot got back to his feet and walked around the lake to avoid Moony's mistake. After a bit more running, Harry felt his chest growing tight and his tongue lolling out of his mouth. As they raced through the woods, they even came across Fluffy running through the snow as well. The time blurred and everything seemed to become nothing more than a giant dream. In no time at all, Padfoot was howling, drawing in Moony and racing towards the castle again.

Harry surprisingly managed to keep in step. He had never spent so much time as a dog and as he raced back to the castle, he realized that his whole body was aching. With his legs carrying him at a blazing speed, they headed back towards the castle. Just about the time they reached the Whomping Willow, the sun peaked over the horizon and Lupin collapsed on the ground.

His fur began to fall out and his body writhed and returned to human form. Padfoot stood by, whimpering sympathetically until Lupin finally fell limply. Sirius took a step forward, returning to human form and pulled out his wand. With a small motion, a blanket materialized, wrapping around Lupin while he was lifted into the air.

Harry shifted back as well, yawning in exhaustion. He glanced sleepily at the sun, following Sirius under the tree and to the Shrieking Shack. It was surprisingly warm, with a small fire crackling in the hearth. There was a comfortable silence over the room.

"That was amazing," Harry finally breathed. Sirius glanced back his way.

"We used to do it all the time. Really did wonders for Lupin's mood and health," Sirius replied.

"I didn't hurt anyone, did I?" Lupin asked, pushing the blanket down as he stirred.

"Well, I bruised a rib from laughing too hard. You tried to skate across a pond," Sirius told him, chuckling once more. Lupin stood to his feet, stretching his tired muscles.

"Good," he sighed, glancing around and saw Harry. Lupin was still wrapped up in a blanket with clothes folded on a nearby chair. "So, Sirius, you have had all night. What is going on?" Harry turned away to let him dress.

"I think they want Harry in the tournament. Not on the vain hope that he gets killed; no, something is most likely going to happen at the very end. But what, hmm?" Sirius mused.

"Well, I do know for a fact that someone has been raiding Severus's potion stock," Lupin said matter-of-factly, glancing at Sirius.

"Yes, that's part of my little plan," Sirius said, trailing off sheepishly. His eyes widened, staring at Lupin. "I think we need to start working on a new project," he said suddenly.

"Another one?" Lupin questioned, slumping into his chair. "Don't you have enough on your damn plate?" he demanded.

"It's a minor one, something to wash away polyjuice. If they haven't changed the final contest, they would have no witnesses. Which means that if they could impersonate one of the contestants, they would have Harry at their mercy," Sirius concluded, slamming his fist into a palm.

"So, you think that this potion will be enough?" Lupin asked, looking at Sirius. His expression wasn't nearly as dubious as before.

"No, we may just force his hand early. So we need to make sure Harry is strong enough to hold his own in a duel. And that means a crash course."

"Oh boy, more work. I guess not having Quidditch this year doesn't mean I will be given a break," Harry said, shaking his head.

"Well, I guess we need to start hunting. I will have to sit down soon enough," Lupin said, letting his head hang forward.

"It's a theory. I will look into other possibilities, but I have a feeling this is the most likely. All the same, I will ask Hagrid if he can keep an eye on things and make sure nothing slips in the back door. This is going to kill what little free time I have left, but…" Sirius trailed off, realizing that his companions had dozed off on him. He chuckled, glancing at Harry.

"He looks just like you, James. But he takes up after his mother a lot more," Sirius muttered to himself, settling in a chair while his eyes drooped.

_"Probably a good thing. I would rather you be my best man,"_ James' memory echoed from years past. Sirius swallowed hard. _"So, Sirius, what do you plan on doing with your life? I've got my eyes set on professional Quidditch."_

"I want to be a duelist," Sirius mouthed back. "Getting married doesn't seem all that fun." The memory began to fade away.

"Sirius," Lupin called, beginning to wake up. "Who, what in the world are you talking about?" he asked, blinking wearily. Sirius was staring at Harry sleeping in his chair. He could almost see James and Lily hovering behind as if they were back in Godric's Hollow.

"I had a thought," Sirius said suddenly, breaking off his illusions of the past.

"Hm?" Lupin sounded, half asleep once more.

"My house has a personal library and I know the Weasley's have sold off theirs over time. But I have no idea if James and Lily had anything. Worth looking into," Sirius mused.

"Oh, dandy, you're in one of those moods, rambling on about stuff. Sirius, just get some damn sleep," Lupin griped, waving him off lazily before dropping his head back to the chair. Within a minute, he was snoring softly.

Sirius rolled his eyes at the comment, leaning back in his chair while sleep finally caught up with him. "I wonder how long it would take to burn that damned painting?"


	46. Headlines and Losing Duels

Magnolia Crescent

Chapter Forty-Six

Headlines and Losing Duels

Harry dropped his head to the table the next morning, causing Ron and Hermione to glance worriedly at him.

"Rough night?" Ron asked. Harry glanced up blearily, eyelids barely making it halfway.

"I wouldn't trade it for anything," he grumbled, the words barely legible in his sleep-deprived state. Ron and Hermione exchanged a glance before jolting Harry upright with a hard clap on the back. _The Daily Prophet_ was tossed onto the table before him. "Care of Magical Creatures Professor is Half-Giant," he read off, blinking blearily at the paper. "That's nice," he mumbled, dropping back to the table again.

"Harry, you okay? I heard you got found in the dungeon halfway through the dance," Leo said, strolling over to the Gryffindor table and taking a seat. "And then you turn up looking like this. I didn't think memory charms were supposed to take this much out of you." Hermione gave a nervous glance to the Slytherin. He shrugged lightly. "It's Harry, anything gets around fast thanks to Malfoy. Especially if it has the potential to be embarrassing."

"I believe it. The git has yet to make it through a school year without causing trouble," Ron noted. As if on cue, the aforementioned git sauntered by the table, being sure to flash a new pin with the words 'Potter Stinks'.

"I am of the opinion that he's just jealous," Leo said with another shrug.

"Malfoy?" Ron asked, staring at Leo incredulously. Even Harry, in his sleep-deprived state, gave him a dubious look.

"How do you consider that?"

"He never shuts up about you. Seriously, all he does is talk about getting back at you and being better than you. Honestly, it's enough to drive a man mad," he said then swiftly changed the topic with a bright smile. "So, what do you want to do with the rest of vacation?"

"Well, for one thing, we need to talk to Hagrid," Harry said, sitting up and yawning while staring at the paper. "You'd think I would be enough to go after, but…. Oh! I also need to do my homework."

"Homework? I got that taken care of before the first day was even over," Leo admitted with an amused shrug.  
>"Really?" Hermione asked, eyes nearly bugging out of her head.<p>

"Don't make such a big deal. It's not hard to fill up a twelve inch piece of parchment," Leo replied. "And who is Hagrid?"

"The games keeper and professor for Care of Magical Creatures," she explained.

"Never took that class," Leo said. "I've got Runes and Muggle Studies. For now, of course."

"What do you mean by that?" Harry asked.

"I'm hoping to take Alchemy in my sixth year if it's still available."

"Really?" Hermione asked in disbelief.

"Yeah, but it's only allowed if there are enough students interested, sadly," Leo admitted. "Anyways, are we going to get some dueling in over break? We've been a little lax on it," he said eagerly, rubbing his hands together.

"Actually, I have some homework to take care of as well," Ron said with a sad sigh, glancing down to the parchment on the table before him.

"Here, just copy mine," Leo immediately offered, reaching into his bag. Hermione glared at him hotly, clearing her throat a bit. He glanced up at her and winced right off the bat. "Never mind," he said instead, letting go of his bag. Ron's brightened face fell once more.

"Well, should we go check up on Hagrid?" Harry asked after a bit of silence. _The Daily Prophet_ was still sitting before him.

"Last night, I still can't understand it. I didn't see anyone that would or could have brought it to her attention," Leo said, beginning to think on the article.

"Huh?" Harry asked, glancing at him in confusion. "To who's attention?"

"Rita Skeeter, of course," Hermione said, rolling her eyes as she straightened out the paper and pointed to her name under the article.

"After you left and Hermione vanished, Leo and I sort of just walked around, to be honest," Ron replied sheepishly, as if he were ashamed of that fact.

"And we stumbled upon Hagrid and Madam Maxine," Leo added. "He was talking about his heritage and we felt a bit odd eavesdropping and with Ron acting all shocked…."

"It's kind of a big deal," he said earnestly. The two shared a quick glance.

"Why is it a big deal?" Harry asked. Ron glanced at him oddly but Leo hurried to explain.

"It's a known fact that most giants are rather brutal. So, that stigma usually gets passed down into the half-children. Which is rather dense," Leo said, glaring at Ron.

"What?" he demanded.

"Nothing," he said, brushing it off and appearing in a rather cold mood. "Let's just go see our Professor," he said, standing to his feet. Harry and Hermione stayed put and glanced at Ron.

"What happened last night?" Harry asked, finally starting to feel more awake.

"We wanted to ask you the same thing since you and Sirius went missing last night. The whole school was turned upside-down," Hermione said, watching him with worried eyes. Harry grimaced, glancing out over the Great Hall before standing rapidly, racing after where Leo had already disappeared. Ron and Hermione scampered to catch up.

"Leo, are you okay?" Harry called when he got closer. They were near the main castle doors.

"You're asking me? You got oblivated and then hunted down your godfather – all night from the looks of it – and you're asking if I'm okay?" Leo said, raising an eyebrow at him.

"Um, yes?" Harry answered, unsure. Leo merely shook his head. "What is going on with you and Ron?" he asked instead.

"Nothing. Last night was cool, it was just something he said," he admitted, appearing to avoid Harry's eyes.

"The giant thing – you like giants?" he asked and Leo smirked. He opened his mouth to reply but quickly closed it when Ron and Hermione caught up. A terse silence fell over the group that was only broken when Ron managed to change the subject.

"So, if we want to get some dueling in before classes start again, do you think you could help me with my homework?" Ron asked rather disjointedly.

"It depends on the class," Leo replied.

"Potions?" Ron asked, looking abashed at his own answer.

"So, what? Because I'm in Professor Snape's house, that makes me the go-to potions guy, huh?" Leo asked, pushing open the door to the grounds. He exhaled, trying to decide what he would do. "I've got your back. I guess if I want any work done in dueling, then I kind of have to help."

"It would be a good start," Hermione said, causing Leo to frown.

"Look, potions is all about following directions – it's really not that hard," he said, immediately rambling about the homework assignment.

"Thank you!" Ron breathed, clasping his hands together and jumping in front of Leo to stop him. He finally stopped talking and gave a slight shrug while Harry knocked on the door to Hagrid's hut. He looked around, hardly believing that they had made it all the way across the grounds while he had been yammering on about homework.

"Well, you asked for my help," he replied. Inside the hut was eerily silent and there was no response. Harry knocked again and this time heard only Fang barking from within.

"Hagrid?" he called.

"I was hoping for a different kind of help," Ron muttered, shoving his hands into his pockets.

"I take it you get this a lot?" Leo asked Hermione, motioning to Ron. Instead, Hermione ignored him and helped Harry figure out why Hagrid wasn't answered. "Ouch," he mumbled as they knocked again. "Looks like he isn't in the mood to talk."

"I kind of figured that, to be honest," Harry snapped. Then he sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose in though. "I suppose we should head back," he suggested, dropping his hands to his sides and turning back to the path. Behind him, Leo pulled out a quill, a roll of parchment and his wand. He tapped the quill and parchment with wand to charm them.

"Look, the basic stuff you need to know is right here. Read off what you need to know and the spell does the rest," he told Ron.

"That's cheating," Hermione said in a low voice. Leo turned to her, one eyebrow raised.

"We are in a magical school; since when is it cheating to use magic on your magical homework?" he asked.

"We have to right those ourselves," she hissed. Beside them, Ron was going through the book with glee while the quill worked for him.

"I don't recall that in the rulebook," Leo replied smugly, with a matching grin.

"There's a rulebook?" Hermione questioned, looking as if everything she had ever known was suddenly wrong.

"No, and that's my point," he replied with a slight nod of head.

"Is this a school spell?" she asked instead, watching the quill move across Ron's parchment.

"That looks like the same things Rita Skeeter used during the Weighing of the Wands," Harry recalled, staring at the quill for a moment. His mind immediately went back to the event but he couldn't remember it very well. He shook his head to dislodge the memory and Ron rolled up his scroll with a happy smile. By now, they had made it to the castle doors once more.

"No," Leo finally admitted.

"So, it's a spell you learned outside of class. That seems a bit unfair," Hermione scolded, crossing her arms.

"And your natural born talent is fair?" Leo asked, watching her fluster with calm eyes.

"That's different!" she insisted. "It's not something that I have control over."

"Actually, in my mind, it's always better to use what you have to the best of your ability," Leo said. "Kind of like what Harry did in the first task," he added, a satisfied smile on his face.

"That's" Hermione began, narrowing her eyes at him. "You fight dirty," she said instead, leveling her gaze with him. Leo shrugged, a rather harmless smile on his face.

"That I do. What, did you think I took Fleur on with pure magical talent? Heck no, I cheated," he admitted. Hermione glared at him so hard that if looks could kill, he would be beyond Madam Pompfrey's help. He fidgeted under her gaze for a time as they made it through the castle.

"Ah, there you are," a new voice said. They spun around to see none other than Fleur herself striding towards them with her Beauxbatons group in tow. Ron immediately hid behind Harry but they were completely safe. Instead, she latched onto Leo's wrist and dragged him away.

"Hey, wait. I thought we were going to practice today," Ron hollered. Leo looked between the groups helplessly.

"I'll catch up at the usual place," he called back. Harry frowned, musing over the next task.

'_Well, I do have the Bubble Head Charm, but I wouldn't mind having – '_ he thought, interrupted by Hermione's grouchiness.

"Trouble maker," she seethed, shaking her head. They headed straight for the empty classroom and were surprised to find Neville and Luna already practicing.

"Hey, Neville. Hey, Luna," Harry greeted, waving at the pair.

"Where is Leo?" Neville asked right off the bat.

"He's dealing with a bit of fallout," Hermione replied and he audibly swallowed at her tone.

"So, who wants to take the first crack?" Ron asked nervously when Hermione took the floor.

"Good luck, Ron," Neville said, sitting off to the side with Luna.

"I think her temper is growing," Harry muttered to Neville who nodded in agreement. "So, you wouldn't happen to know any or," he paused to glance at the Herbology book in Neville's hands, "anything on plants that might help me stay underwater for a long time?"

"Hmm," Neville mused, flipping through book. Spells and flashes of light began to flash and echo around the classroom. "I know of something that might work. It's called gillyweed."

"Oh!" Harry said, eyes going wide. "I've heard of that. Actually, do you know where I can find some?"

"Well, the best place would be Diagon Ally. But, maybe the potions cupboard though I wouldn't recommend that. Unless you are really desperate."

"I could always ask Sirius, to be honest," Harry thought, glancing over to where the duel was going and found Ron sprawled on the floor.

"I give up," he murmured, clapping his hands on the back of his head.

"Was she too rough on you, Ron?" Leo asked, smirking despite the heated looks he was receiving.

"Oh, shove off," Ron griped, dropping onto the bench beside Neville with a groan. "Did you see that? She wiped the floor with me!"

"Well, suppose you make a pretty good mop then," Harry said, chuckling. Ron sighed, a small smile pulling at the corner of his lips.

"Best watch it, Harry," Neville warned, watching Hermione carefully. "I'm afraid she might do the same with the rest of us if we're not careful."

"Anyone else want to practice?" Hermione asked, watching the group with a raised eyebrow. When no one moved after a few moments, Leo pushed off the wall and cracked his knuckles.

"Sure, I'll have a go," he said, shrugging. Two minutes later, Leo was staring up at the ceiling, swearing that stars were floating just there. "I think she's got her anger out now," he moaned. The others chuckled, watching Leo try to grasp reality from the ground.

* * *

><p><strong>Sorry that these have been so sparse and short lately. I recently started going to school again and haven't had much time to work on anything while SWD had been working a separate story of his. Don't worry, we haven't forgotten about you, just been sidetracked.<strong>

**~LE**


	47. The Amazing Bouncing Ferret

Magnolia Crescent

Chapter Forty-Seven

The Amazing Bouncing Ferret

"So, why are we here again?" Ron asked, sitting down next to Leo. Harry was on Leo's other side, looking at the commencing duels in interest. It was a rare change to be in the audience for once. "I mean, this is the junior level. Even Sirius said that it would be pointless to watch. We should be practicing instead."

"Well, all work and no play," Leo started, leaning back on the bench.

"We are here to show support," Hermione amended, glancing over in disapproval at the boys.

"That and to see a bunch of kids trip over each other. Or did you forget how much fun it was the last time they had a dueling club for second years?" Leo asked, smirking when Hermione blushed.

"That's not the point," she said sternly. Leo took out his wand and pointed it at the ground, simply going over a motion. "Not now," Hermione said when she saw his wand. Leo merely glanced back at her.

"Just getting in a little bit of practice. Besides, it hasn't even started yet," he replied casually.

"Again, beside the point," she retorted. Leo smirked as if amused by her comment, but put his wand away all the same.

"Too bad Ginny couldn't join up with them," Ron commented, causing Hermione to wince at his tactlessness. "Oh well. Hey, Leo, I was having some trouble with my homework again. Could you…." He stopped when he saw that Hermione was glaring at him.

"No copying," she said sternly.

"What class?" Leo asked, talking right over her.

"Potions," Ron replied. But Leo appeared as if he hadn't heard him.

"Potions, really?" Leo asked after a few moments. "Look, I don't know what to tell you on that. It's all about following directions and knowing the properties of your ingredients. I mean, it's pretty cut and paste. I can't really help you with it."

"What do you mean?" Ron asked, face falling.

"I can't help you in potions. I suck at explaining it, despite my good marks in class," he replied, frowning.

"Sounds like you're cheating then," Hermione stated mildly, glancing at him from the corner of her eye.

"The antidote for a blended poison will be equal to more than the sum of the antidotes for each of the separate components. Which means that the sum of the parts is not as great as its whole. But the process is hard and, in most cases, impractical. Even in the best of situations since most poisons can be countered with a bezoar. The first rule in dealing with preparation is what is the most effective way to get the most out of a single ingredient. The second rule is…" Leo listed off, showing a level of malice that Hermione had never seen before.

"Wow," Ron said, staring at Leo while he sighed in annoyance.

"I also know spells to help inform me of substances. That way, I can work out some antidotes," Leo said, suddenly looking tired.

"That's not even been touched on in our class," Hermione breathed, purely shocked with their Slytherin friend.

"I know. Mum is a big potions user and I seem to have a talent for it myself," Leo admitted, absently adjusting his ponytail.

"You don't sound too thrilled about that," she noted, frowning ever so slightly. Leo just waved his wand and brushed it off.

"I hate potions," he replied simply. Then he focused again on the dueling arena in front of them.

"Huh," Neville said, looking over at him. "If you are as good as you claim, it seems weird that you dislike the class."

"Not everyone is good at what they love to do," Leo replied with a smirk. "Oh, looks like they are finally starting." Harry shrugged nonchalantly while Sirius stepped onto the platform. He called the younger groups together and most of their heads barely cleared Sirius's elbow. He watched most of the first years struggle in disarming their opponents. The wands seemed to make a little wiggle before remaining where they were.

"This is going to be so boring," Ron remarked with a sigh, slumping in his seat. Hermione let out a small sigh as well and Harry noticed that even she seemed to be regretting her decision.

"There is another reason we are here, isn't there?" he asked, narrowing his eyes at her bushy hair. She appeared to have found something interesting on a far wall. He glanced down, noting from the corner of his eye that Colin Creevey was waving at him. He groaned, forcing himself to wave back then turned to glare at Hermione.

"I'm sorry, he was pleading with me," she apologized. Harry merely gave an exhausted shrug and a heavy sigh.

"Can you sit next to me in potions?" Ron asked Leo in a stage whisper. Hermione shoved him further down the bench, eliciting a chuckle from Harry at their antics. On the floor, Sirius kept the rounds moving at a decent pace and each group passed through rather quickly. Harry smiled when Colin's group advanced to the next round as well. Colin waved excitedly while Sirius made some notes on the chart before him.

"So, it looks like we'll have an easy match unless Chang and the rest of her team manage to get better," Leo said, scanning the parchment Sirius had just pinned to a bulletin board in the Entrance Hall.

"Even still, her group can't be too much trouble," Ron mused, looking over Leo's shoulder.

"Hmm, sadly it looks like Malfoy is on the other side of the chart. If we want a shot against him, we have to meet him in the championship," Leo noted.

"Well, with the way things have worked out between us, it wouldn't surprise me if you made it that far," Harry commented, giving a slight sigh.

"That and with the way he is, Malfoy would probably just try and buy the tournament," Ron joked, grinning when the gathered crowd laughed with him.

"Do you think he could do that?" Luna asked in a semi-serious voice. The laughter died eerily and Harry shared a glance with Hermione.

"I wouldn't put it past him," Leo said, waving it off. "In any case, I think we should put more practice in," he advised. By now, even Hermione was eager to get going. Harry turned back to grab a daydreaming Luna. She moved with him easily until they ran into Ron's back. He was standing not even five feet from the board, back stiff with tension and he was radiating displeasure.

"Well, well, are the Phoenixes looking to improve their skills?" Malfoy sneered. Harry released Luna's arm, feeling the urge to simply blast his sneering face out of the way. It didn't help any that his group – consisting of Crabbe, Goyle, Pansy Parkinson and Blaise Zabini – were taking up almost the entire hall behind Malfoy.

"Just get out of the way," Harry growled, clearly wanting to be on his way. Malfoy didn't respond, instead fingering the button on his robe. It shifted from '_Support Cedric Diggory – the Real Hogwarts Champion'_ to '_Potter Stinks'_ in bright green letters. Hermione scoffed.

"Oh, how mature. Harry has already shown that he has the skill. I am shocked that you haven't tried to buy your way up in this school. Since your skills have clearly always been subpar," she spat. Malfoy glared at her, looking downright livid.

"What did you say, you filthy little mudblood?!" he shouted, shooting a spell right at her. As if someone had flipped a switch, nearly everyone on both sides had their wands out and ready with three of them being pointed right at Malfoy's throat.

"Are you alright, Hermione?" Luna asked, gently trying to pull her hands away from her face. "Oh my, you're teeth are growing, aren't they? But I think they look much prettier now," Luna said dreamily. Hermione squeaked, huddling in on herself at Luna's innocent comment.

"What would be the most fitting?" Leo snarled, glaring at his fellow Slytherin. "A rat? I think that would work," he decided.

"He does have a very rat-like face," Ron admitted, standing shoulder to shoulder with Leo and narrowing his eyes. Harry refused to reply, but silently scowled at Malfoy who was beginning to look very pale.

"You know, for a guy who brags so much, he sure does turn into a little chicken-shit whenever someone points a wand at him," Leo noted. At this point, he noticed that he wasn't the only one who had his wand out.

"Luna, can you take Hermione to see Madam Pomfrey?" Harry asked, never looking over his shoulder. He was doing his best to ignore the growing crowd.

"Why?" she asked easily, cocking her head in confusion.

"Harry, as much as I would love to continue this, I think it's for the best if we leave it for now," Leo decided, lowering his wand a smidge. Harry's eye twitched while Ron scowled.

"Back down from Malfoy? This little git has had it coming," Ron growled, tightening his grip on his wand. Leo sighed, lowering his wand and stepping away to help get Hermione to the hospital wing. At Leo's movement, Harry sighed as well. When Ron refused to move, Leo hung back in case he needed to be dragged away.

"I agree, Ron, but we really shouldn't," he said, suddenly feeling a bit more self-conscious of the situation. Ron frowned, glancing over at Harry warily. When he looked back at Malfoy, he smirked a tiny bit when he noticed that he was quivering. "Besides, he's not worth it, Ron," Harry added, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. He sighed, turning around to glance at the rest of them but everyone else seemed to be nervous about getting caught at this point.

Harry smiled when Ron lowered his wand and they turned to walk away. But something happened as they reached the edge of the circle. A roar burst from the other side of the gathered crowd. Startled, everyone turned to see what was causing the newest commotion.

"How dare you try to hex someone when their back is turned!" a voice roared. Everyone jumped and a few girls shrieked when they saw a red-eyed white ferret where Malfoy had just been standing. Harry couldn't stop the smile on his face while everyone else appeared to be in a daze.

"Alistor Moody, what are you doing?" Professor McGonagall's voice shouted shrilly. She pushed her way through the crowed, clearly having some idea of what was going on.

"He was defending Harry," Leo immediately supplied. McGonagall paused, scrutinizing Leo as if she didn't recognize him. But then she swiftly remembered that he was a Slytherin, not one of her students.

"Like the lad said," Moody replied gruffly, grunting to himself in amusement while he made ferret Malfoy bounce around, much to the crowd's delight.

"Is that a student?" she demand in a shocked voice, staring wide-eyed at the ferret now disappearing down the front of Crabbe's pants.

"Technically, it's a ferret," Moody replied, finally allowing the struggling ferret to escape the pants of a panicking Crabbe. Malfoy dropped the ground, returning to his human form and glancing around nervously.

"Wait until my father hears about this!" Malfoy declared.

"Is that a threat?" Moody countered. "I could tell you stories about your father that would curl even your greasy hair, boy!" he shouted gleefully, watching as Malfoy scampered off across the hall with his cronies right behind him.

"What part of cunning and ambition does the sorting hat not understand?" Leo asked, shaking his head as they disappeared.

"Don't seem so beat up. It's always been like that," Ron said, grinning from ear to ear. Leo, however, wasn't reflect the Gryffindor sentiment.

"Alastor!" Professor McGonagall shouted. The Auror turned to look at her, disgruntled with her tone. "We _never_ use transfiguration as a punishment. Surely you should have known that," she snapped, pointing her finger right in his face.

"Someone might have mentioned it," he sniffed, staring cross-eyed at her finger.

"Regardless, I shall be having words with Professor Dumbledore on this matter, at once. How dare you take disciplinary actions into your own hands."

"Is there a problem?" Snape asked smoothly, sweeping silently into the hall. Harry watched as Professor McGonagall's color seemed to drain.

"What in the world is going on?" Brom asked, hot on Snape's heels.

"Well, Malfoy," McGonagall started with a huff, turning to see where Malfoy had vanished.

"What did you do, Potter?" Snape hissed instantly, turning to glare at him. Harry immediately went on the defense.

"I didn't do anything. And Hermione still needs to be taken to the Hospital Wing!" Harry shouted impatiently, throwing his hands in the air. Brom immediately spun around, eyes-wide when he saw the damage. Malfoy's spell had forced her front teeth to grow profusely and they were currently past her chin, though she was trying her damnedest to hide them with her hands.

"Come with me, Miss Granger," he said, quickly ushering her away from the crowd and up the stairs. Leo noted with a pang that she was sobbing.

"Potter didn't do anything. But if I hadn't stepped when I had, Malfoy would have put Potter in the Hospital Wing as well," Moody growled.

"I very much doubt that it's as simple as that," Snape said, eyeing Harry dubiously.

"I'm leaving," Leo huffed, turning in the direction of the Slytherin common rooms.

"Holmes, you are to remain here," McGonagall snapped. Leo sighed melodramatically as he rejoined the group. He wasn't interested in the situation at all. "Well then, you four. Someone fetch Malfoy."

"Those are my students," Snape said coldly. Leo's interest peaked and they all watched the two heads of House banter.

"Your point being?" she asked, crossing her arms and staring at him. They remained silent while Moody's eye swiveled about in it's socket. "Bring your students; this is a matter for the headmaster. After all, this is a school year where we have more than just Hogwarts to think of," she finally said calmly.

The silence that stretched on became thick enough to cut with a knife while they glared at each other. McGonagall raised one eyebrow in challenge and Snape relented.

"Fine, I will go and find Mr. Malfoy and meet you in the headmaster's office," he sneered, spinning around and stalking away.

"Well, what are you all doing here? Get back to your studies!" McGonagall snapped at the remaining crowd. They quickly scampered off, with Moody trying to escape with them. "Just where do you think you're going, Alistor?" she said, narrowing her eyes at the Auror as he froze. "You are coming as well."

"Remind me again why Snape is the most feared teacher?" Leo asked. Harry and Ron hastily nodded their heads in agreement.

* * *

><p><strong>Honestly, did you guys think we were gonna forget about humiliating Malfoy? XD Hah, as if!<strong>

**"Somebody needs to keep that greasy slimeball in his place."  
><strong>

**Thank you for the commentary, Ron.**

**~LE**


	48. Consequences of Bad Pranks

Magnolia Crescent

Chapter Forty-Eight

Consequences of Bad Pranks

"So then, Potter shoves his wand in my face and the next thing I know, I'm bouncing around as a freaking ferret!" Malfoy said, eyeing Moody carefully. Crabbe and Goyle had remained silent since they had entered the office twenty minutes ago. The Auror was leaning on his staff in the corner of Dumbledore's office. Harry fought the urge to growl at Malfoy's blatant lies, knowing that Professor Snape would easily turn it around and get him into trouble. It didn't help matters any that Malfoy was practically hiding behind Snape's robes while Dumbledore frowned.

His office was more packed than it had been in some time, Dumbledore realized, what with two teachers, eight students, an Auror and himself. Despite the number of people present, Harry wasn't convinced that anything was actually going to happen. Leo was staring wide-eyed at Fawkes standing on his perch. The level of awe he displayed was beyond Harry's scope of belief.

"Potter!" Snape snapped, glaring down at him. Harry glanced back at the potion's professor, simply tired of his constant antagonism.

"Yes, Professor?" he replied with a neutral tone.

"Your side of the story?" he prompted, seeming to loom over Harry.

"You've already made your decision. Ask Mr. Moody; I have nothing to add," he remarked, looking up at Dumbledore. There almost seemed to be a sparkle in his eye but he couldn't figure out why.

"Harry was defending his friend. Malfoy used a spell that is banned on a fellow student so we – Harry, Ron and I – stood up to prevent him continuing his abuse on Hermione. I don't see why we are even here – the three of them should have been put into detention fifty times over. And yet, they keep ferreting around the system as if they are above the rules!" Leo suddenly shouted in outrage. He fumed silently for a few minutes, a muscle in his jaw ticking all the while and then he seemed to realize who he had just exploded at.

Leo went stiff as a board before huddling in on himself and trying to step backwards to avoid the eye of everyone in the office.

"Be that as it may, you are not getting out of this without proper repercussions," Dumbledore said.

"So, you're discouraging the desire to stand up for yourself?" Brom asked, suddenly bursting through the office doors. He looked livid, even more than at the skirmish earlier.

"Brom," Dumbledore said calmly while the American headmaster strode in like he owned the place.

"I watched the whole thing and Mr. Malfoy's complete disregard for the rules has been repeated before. Yes, I've been watching everyone this year and I have had many complaints from my own students. Not to mention the number of badges I've seen pass by on your students that are supposed to have authority and have done nothing. But the main question is why you are allowing such blatant chaos to rain in your halls?" Brom demanded, storming to the desk and slamming his fists down on it.

Everyone froze – though Neville jumped, having been hiding behind Ron for most of the conversation – watching Brom and Dumbledore stare at each other. They never broke eye contact and even Snape, for all his composure, glanced quickly at the door.

"Headmaster Brom, I know you mean well, but this is not the time nor the place," McGonagall finally said as if nothing had happened. He stood up abruptly, staring down at Dumbledore in disappointment. He glanced over at Leo for a moment, causing him to shrink even more. Then he straightened out his robes and stalked away.

"Brom, I understand why you are aggravated," Dumbledore called before his fellow headmaster could make it to the door. Brom stopped suddenly, pulling his robe tightly around him.

"Dumbledore, we are both old men and whatever your reasons are, I still believe that it is right to stand up to people who have no issues putting others in the hospital wing," he bit out. With that said he stalked back towards the door and nearly slammed it on his way out.

"Of all the nerve, butting into Hogwarts business! And that goes for you as well, Alastor, you are not in charge of disciplining my students," Snape snarled, glaring fiercely at Moody. The ex-Auror refused to respond but looked at Dumbledore instead.

"It seems that I have been put into an interesting position. I have, as the saying goes, been called out by peers and," Dumbledore paused to glance at Leo, "by the students that I have been asked to watch over. It appears that we have a situation regarding Severus' ability to discipline, so I believe a more neutral party would be required."

Snape was clearly beside himself, glowering down at Leo with a look that promised vengeance. In his defense, he was clearly regretting his decision more and more as the seconds passed. Then he got a determined look in his eye, stood up straight and stared directly forward.

"Professor, what do you mean," McGonagall asked, staring at him in confusion.

"Could you pass me the Sorting Hat?" he asked, holding out one hand. He motioned for the eight students to sit down and placed the hat on the heads in turn. After a few seconds, the Sorting Hat told them the recommended detention length. When it had passed over all eight, they were dismissed and they filed out solemnly. Leo stayed fairly close to the Gryffindors and no one even bothered to look towards Malfoy.

"Well, I do believe that's the first time that I have seen or heard of Malfoy getting detention," Leo finally chuckled after they went their separate ways. He shoved his hands in his pockets, grinning from ear to ear.

"Not for us," Ron replied. "But did you see the look on Snape's face? He looked ticked! Leo, I've got to hand it to you, why in the world are you not a Gryffindor?" he asked, casually clapping Leo on the back.

"Because I choose not to," he admitted, catching Ron glance at him in surprise.

"Why would you choose Slytherin, of all houses?" he asked in disbelief.

"Merlin," came his simple reply. He smiled, letting out a low chuckle.

"Oh, Merlin was in Slytherin house and was a big supporter of Muggle rights and is now considered the best and most powerful wizard in history," Luna's voice explained. They jumped ever so slightly but was mostly unsurprised to find her trailing quietly behind them. "And I can't believe I've got detention, I am so excited! Oh, you boys," she said dreamily. "You're such bad influences."

"I completely forgot that she got in trouble as well," Harry muttered, leaning closer to Ron.

"Easy mistake. Have you noticed how eerily quiet that girl can be?" he muttered back.

"Well, you have no idea," Leo told her casually, smirking. It fell from his face, however, when they heard an explosion echo from two corridors over, followed closely by a high-pitched scream.

"Was that Snorpwork?" Luna asked, perking up instantly.

"Could be," Leo replied with a knowing smile. Ron, Neville and Harry merely chuckled at him. "I can't wait to spread this around: Malfoy, The Incredible Bouncing Ferret. Anyways, there's something that I need to take care of, later," he said, disappearing down an empty hallway.

"What was all that about?" Ron scoffed, glancing at Harry. His smile faded away and he took a deep breath. His own detention was with Snape, and the joys that would bring. "Well, I have to say things could be better," he said instead. A few seconds later, a slow clapping echoed down the corridor and they spun around to see what it was.

"Great job, Harry, your father would be proud of you," Sirius said, grinning like a madman as he approached them. "But on a more serious note, I wanted to ask you to start coming with me to the Shrieking Shack. The loss of the map and our memory is quite concerning and I don't want that to happen again."

"Agreed," Harry replied solemnly. "We should also start thinking of possible ways into the school. Something that can get past the extra enchantments the Ministry has put up."

"Wouldn't be a bad idea. There are a few things I've been working on, but obviously, this takes precedence," he replied, nodding his head.

"Have you tried to find the room they used? I feel like that would be good place to start," Harry advised. Sirius chuckled half-heartedly at his godson's advice.

"Sadly, that room no longer exists," he sighed. "Despite my best efforts, it's simply gone."

"Well, that can't be right," Harry said, frowning. "This school just keeps getting more and more unbelievable. I thought you knew most of Hogwarts' secrets, anyway," he added, a bit of concern in his voice. Sirius scoffed.

"Not even I would have the arrogance to make that claim," he said.

"Well, it would seem that even Black has his limitations then," Snape's voice said. He strode swiftly through the hall towards them.

"Can I help you?" Sirius said irritably but managing to keep as much coolness in his tone that he could muster.

"Yes, it would seem that your recent abduction has greatly concerned our esteemed headmaster and he has asked me to look into the matter," Snape replied calmly, staring fixedly at a spot somewhere over Sirius's right shoulder.

"Ah, well, I can see that you are the right man for the job," Sirius quipped.

"Sarcasm is unbecoming of you. I would like to know, however, if you had any theories," he asked instead. The potions master appeared to be flexing his fingers in an attempt to keep from doing something rash. Sirius was tapping his chin lightly, glancing at the ceiling thoughtfully.

"I have one theory, but it's about you being a nosy git," Sirius retorted, causing Snape to curl his lips into a sneer.

"It appears that you are incapable of taking even your own life seriously," he growled.

"Sirius, this isn't the time to be antagonizing the potions master," Harry advised, glancing up at his godfather. Both professors glanced at him, one being more obvious than the other. "Look, my life is on the line and now yours is in question too. We can't waste time belittling people who are willing to help," he said, glancing at Snape and suppress a shudder. He couldn't stand the thought of this man actually helping them.

"Harry, you don't understand," Sirius began.

"Didn't you hear? I was just thrown into detention because of Draco Malfoy. I think I know what it's like to deal with a bully. However, don't think that I wouldn't work with him if my life was on the line," Harry said, talking right over Sirius and crossing his arms over his chest.

"Harry, of course I am going to work with him. I just don't like him period, that's all," he said, trying to reason. "Dear god, you are a lot less like your father than I originally thought." He sighed, forgetting for a moment that Snape was even there.

"Don't act like it's such a bad thing," Harry said, suddenly feeling very ashamed. Sirius exhaled, glancing around the corridor, glowering when his eyes landed on Snape still standing there.

"Oh, right. What are you looking at? We've got work to do!" he urged, pushing Harry away and down the corridor. "I swear, you're as bad Lily some days."

They walked off, leaving Snape standing in the hallway long after everyone was gone. His brow creased deeply over his eyes and his greasy hair fell into his face. With a set jaw, he spun on his heel and stalked away from the corridor with his cloak billowing behind him.

"I wonder if the Ministry will be handling this. An international incident is the last thing this school needs," he muttered to himself, briefly wondering what the American headmaster was doing.

"Headmaster Brom?" Hermione asked in shock, having pushed open a classroom door to find him sitting in a plush chair and sipping from a china cup.

"Do come in, I'm so glad you joined me," he said, giving her a warm smile.

"I'm just surprised is all," she told him, giving a short laugh.

"Don't act so nervous and feel free to leave the door open. I have somewhat of an offer for you," Brom said, smiling. Hermione had already shut the door, so she shrugged apologetically and reached for the handle once more but he simply waved her off. "Leave it."

"Um, okay," Hermione said, trying to look as calm as possible.

"You can sit down, if you like," he offered. She glanced at the chair but choose to remain standing. "Fair enough. Put simply, I am wondering if you would like to become an Animagus as well," he presented, getting straight to the point. Hermione's eyes darted to the only eye-catching thing the room – the fire that glowed softly beside Brom's chair. "Well, if you aren't interested, just say so," he said after a she was quiet for a few moments, feeling a bit put out.

"It's not that, I mean, I have a feeling that Sirius could teach me. It just feels odd that a foreign teacher is interested in teaching a Hogwarts student," she admittedly gingerly, fiddling with the hem of her sweater.

"Understandable. To be honest, it's quite a selfish activity – I love teaching and such transformations are my personal favorite. So, I travel around and find as many willing students as possible and unlike most teachers, I spread that idea as far as possible. Though, I do have to admit mainly because it seems that Animagi are going out of style. Some people fear that it may become a lost art if this decline keeps up. And it just so happens that you were in the right place at the right time."

"You are rather blunt, you know that?" Hermione said, furrowing her brow.

"Yes, I am. So are you interested in learning? And if you are feeling uncertain, feel free to think about it and, since you are so nervous, ask Sirius to watch our lessons or something. Dear god, I have never seen a person fidget that much in my life," he said, raising one eyebrow and watching her movements.

"Oh, sorry. I've just never been asked to talk with a Headmaster one on one before," she admitted.

"Aha, I was thinking that you were getting the wrong vibe from me. Ah, the innocence of the young. Anyway, I do have a few other students who are interested, so show up here after dinner, if you will," he said. "That is, if you are interested."

"Hang on, isn't it illegal to become an Animagus without the Ministry's knowledge?" Hermione asked, rising from her seat and pacing the room.

"Well, for one, I'm an American and therefore have diplomatic immunity," he replied, splaying his hands across his chest. "Secondly, after someone completes the process, it becomes their own responsibility to inform their governing body. So, if you fail to register, then it's on your own head."

"I suppose that's a fair point," she murmured, pulling a thoughtful face. Brom floated a piece of parchment across to the room in front of her. Another flick of his wand caused the door to swing open and he winced when it banged off the wall. Realizing that it was time to leave, she quickly scampered out of the room.

"Well, that was nerve wracking. I've never taught a girl before; concerning, I should fix that," he murmured, moving back to his tea. He heard the door latch as someone shadowed moved into the room.

"Ah, so nice to see you again. What can I do for you?" he asked, smiling over his steaming cup.


	49. Resorting to Tricks

**Sorry for the long wait. Been back at school and have had no time to do much of anything!**

* * *

><p><span>Magnolia Crescent<span>

Chapter Forty-Nine

Resorting to Tricks

Neville grimaced, rolling his wand between his fingers and continuing to look as if it held all the answers to life in its core. He barely even flinched when a barn owl suddenly crashed into a nearby glass of pumpkin juice. The juice spilled over everyone nearby, soaking their laps. Neville barely even noticed when the owl righted itself, shook out it's feathers and took awkwardly into the air. Harry merely frowned, removing his glasses to remove the juice splatters.

"Have you noticed that Hogwarts has turned into a zoo lately?" Ginny asked offhandedly, cleaning the covers of her books. "I swear I saw a fox napping under a tree in the courtyard before I had Potions class the other day."

"Really? I never noticed that," Hermione admitted, barely looking up from her book. She flicked her wand and the juice staining the cover disappeared. Harry gazed across the Great Hall, watching as the owl seeming to blend in with all of the others. It would have been indistinguishable had it not crashed back down on the staff table. He winced, watching the poor creature skid along and spill everything in it's path. The owl spun on it's back, knocking a platter of food directly into Professor Sprout, thus startling her. Professor Dumbledore, on the other hand, merely picked up his plate and goblet, allowed the owl to slide underneath and set them back down with an amused smirk. The bird finally came to rest at the far side of the table, right in front of Professor Snape, who proceeded to glare hotly at it.

"It's like having another Errol," Ron sighed. The poor bird seemed terrified, backing away slightly before leaping back into the sea of owls.

"Appears so," Hermione agreed, still appearing not even remotely interested. Harry pulled a face, noticing that everyone seemed to be off in their own worlds this morning.

"Well, I wish you luck in the tournament," he said, allowing himself to smirk a bit. "It's nice not being in the hot seat for a change."

"I'm sure we'll knock them de – " Leo began, getting cut off by a large yawn midsentence.

"You look like you're more ready for bed than a dueling tournament," Ginny remarked, watching him stretch his arms behind everyone at the breakfast table.

"I could beat half of the guys here," Leo said confidently. "In my sleep, no less."

"Exactly," Ron agreed in a tone that perfectly matched Leo's.

"I think we are all going to die," Luna chimed in cheerfully. Everyone gave her looks that were equal measures of horrified and confused. "Well, not today, perhaps. You can never be too sure on this."

"That's…nice, Luna," Hermione said, pausing to search for the right word and avoid offending her. Leo shifted on his seat, letting out another loud yawn. "Late night?" she asked, causing Leo to smirk at her comment for some reason.

"I've been getting in lots of practice," Leo mentioned, pulling a small brown book from the bag at his feet. He studied the cover, making a face as if something was off about it.

"So, who are we going against on the first day?" Neville asked, clearing his throat to get everyone's attention.

"Seamus and few other Gryffindor students. The duel will be after Herbology class in the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom," Hermione replied.

"That shouldn't be too difficult for you guys," Harry commented. "But, we really should be getting to class now."

"Right," Leo admitted, standing from the table and stretching. "I need to get moving or else I'm going to be late. I do believe that class is the best place to catch up on my sleep," he added, smirking at Hermione. She glanced up over her book, raising one eyebrow and glaring at him. Her look said everything she needed to say and she otherwise remained silent.

"Teach me your ways!" Ron cried, clasping his hands in front him and looking at Leo imploringly.

"Look, I like you, Ron, you're a good friend, but for your own wellbeing, do not follow in my footsteps," Leo told him, briefly adopting the voice of a sage. He dropped it a moment later to add, "Well, see you all later."

Neville inhaled deeply, following the group to the Herbology greenhouses on the edge of the grounds. It was his favorite and best class, but today he seemed to merely be moving through the motions and repeatedly glancing at the clock. But no matter how often he looked, it barely seemed to move more than the slowest speed. When class was finally dismissed, he was in such a daze about the upcoming tournament that the other students rushed by him in their eagerness to get back to the castle.

"Good luck, Neville," many of the Gryffindors said, clapping him on the shoulder as they passed by. Part of him thought that they were being sarcastic but another part of him really wanted to believe that they were truly honest.

"You're kidding, right?" Dante exclaimed to Leo while Neville brushed past them. "I had hoped you had worked that bug out of your arse during first year."

"Look, it's not – oh, Neville, nice to see you," Leo replied, pausing his conversation with Dante.

'_Two Slytherins,'_ Neville noted in his mind. He took a deep breath and reminded himself that Leo was a good person. "Um, hello, Leo," he replied, giving a very shaky wave.

"Oh, that reminds me, Neville. I haven't seen Hermione; I was hoping to run into her, but…" he trailed off, digging into his pocket. He pulled out a pocket watch that looked as if it had seen some better days. "Crap, look, Neville, I don't know if you'd be willing to help me out on this, but I've got to cut this short. Could you run back to class and try to find her? All the same, I've got to get moving myself."

"That seems more important than what we were discussing," Dante noted coldly with a sarcastic note in his voice.

"Get off my back. It was a simple question that rolled into something distracting, damn it," Leo snapped, rushing off to the castle. Dante glanced over at Neville just long enough to make him uncomfortable. Neville nodded awkwardly and turned back towards the Herbology greenhouses. He nearly skidded to a halt in one of the outdoor hallways when he spotted two looming and familiar figures ahead of him. "Crabbe and Goyle," he whispered, swallowing past the lump in his throat.

"Get out of my way, Malfoy," Hermione demanded. Neville could feel a cold sweat beginning to trickle down the back of his neck.

"Feel free to go around," his oily voice replied. Neville crawled around a corner, hoping hard that he hadn't been spotted. He craned his neck around a corner, noticing that Malfoy and his goons were standing in a wide circle around Hermione. She was glancing out of the corner of her eye at the two students behind her. With a steely gaze, she took a step to the right in an attempt to walk around Malfoy, but he simply mirrored her actions and kept her from advancing. Neville's hand twitched towards his wand, noticing that Hermione seemed to want to do the same thing. But they both kept their hands still, fisted at their sides.

"You better hurry up or you're going to be late," Malfoy said smugly, while Crabbe and Goyle chuckled.

"You passive aggressive bastard," she growled, gritting her teeth. Neville crouched behind his corner while the seconds trickled by. He held up his wand, unsure of when he drew it or what he was going to do but time was slowly ticking away and he really should act sooner rather than later.

"Move, Neville, you stood up to Harry, you've knocked Leo around. You just need to hit them with a stunning spell and run. That's it," he told himself, swallowing nervously. It wasn't much of a plan but it would work.

"Oh, just get over it!" Hermione shouted loud enough to make Neville jump from his hiding spot. He ended up making enough noise to be noticed and he spun around, wand held tightly in front him. But everyone else was just as surprised by his action. Hermione seized the distraction and rammed into Malfoy with a hard elbow check. She ran by Crabbe and Goyle who were still reeling from the shock of everything. Grabbing Neville as she ran, she dragged him through the corridor, just barely managing to keep him upright. Skidding to a sudden halt, she ducked down a corner and pressed against the wall. Just as she breathed a sigh of relief, Malfoy skidded into view.

"I found her!" he shouted over his shoulder. "_Petrificus totalis_!" he cried, pointing his wand at them. All that happened was a few papers stirring on the ground.

"How does he get away with all this?" Neville asked, staring at Malfoy while Hermione dragged him down the corridor again.

"I am convinced it's karma," she replied. "I don't even want to know how many rules we've broken over the last three years."

"Huh?" Neville said, confusion written all over his face.

"Found you," Crabbe said, pudgy fingers reaching for his wand. But this time, Neville reacted first.

"_Stupify_!" he called, sending the bully sailing down the corridor. A stupid smirk spread across Neville's face at his small victory.

"Not another step, Granger," Millicent said smugly, pointing her wand at Hermione.

"This is so petty," Hermione whined.

"Somebody's got to take you down a peg or two," Millicent replied.

"I didn't even want to be part of this stupid tournament," Hermione hissed back.

"What in heavens in going on here?" Professor McGonagall cried out. Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle skidded to a halt on the other end of the corridor, eyes locked on the professor. McGonagall glared at each of them in turn, causing a look of horror at being caught cross their faces.

"Granger, Longbottom, don't you have some place to be?" she asked. "I can understand you being in a hurry, but why are you three running around so close to each other? That's very dangerous, even more so than just running," she scolded. "Make sure that it doesn't happen again," she ordered. Malfoy shoved Crabbe and Goyle when he realized how uncomfortably close they were.

"Miss Granger, Mr. Longbottom?" McGonagall called before the two Gryffindors could take off.

Leo growled, glaring at the Gryffindor standing against him. A smug grin threatened to creep on his face but he fought it back. It would be just too easy to knock him off his feet. He glanced back at the door; Hermione and Neville had still not appeared and the longer this kept up, the more likely it was that he might slip up and lose.

"Keep it up, Leo! You've got him on the ropes!" Luna cheered on. Leo merely rolled his eyes while Seamus flicked his wand.

"He's had him on the ropes," Ron griped, glaring at the door. Part of Leo wanted to turn around and snap at the ginger but he forced himself to keep his eyes on the prize. He needed to draw out this first match as long as possible.

"Holmes, do try and finish this off. I don't have all day," Snape drawled, appearing ready to fall asleep. Leo grinned slightly, ready to finish this fight himself when the door burst open and his missing team members rushed in.

"Longbottom, Granger, late as ever," Snape commented evenly. Leo turned his head to see the door, giving Seamus an opening to cast a stunning spell. It deflected off his shield and sent the Gryffindor rolling to the floor. With a casual flick of his wrist, Seamus' wand landed easily in Leo's opposite hand.

"It's about time," he mentioned, tossing the wand back to his opponent.

"How did you do that?" Seamus asked.

"I found my ambition," Leo replied, an air of superiority about him and walked over to Hermione. "Basic shield spell," he told her, winking.

"So, how was the match?" Neville asked while Leo sat down.

"That was the first one. I figured something was up so I stalled for time," he replied while Ron walked up to the stage. "Malfoy?"

"Yes," Hermione agreed with a heavy sigh. She also looked irritable; whatever Malfoy did must have really gotten under her skin.

"I figured as much. After all, his motto is 'if you can't beat them, cheat," Leo commented. "Him and half of the Slytherin house," he added wryly.

"Yours as well?" Hermione asked, mouth tugging down at the corners.

"I will admit that there are some advantages to having access to a pure blood family library," he said, smiling. "Do you honestly think Crabbe and Goyle get by purely on their good looks?" he asked, raising one eyebrow.

"They would have a better time of it than you," Hermione retorted, a bit of ice in her tone. Leo couldn't tell if it was because of him or from Malfoy earlier.

"I feel I have offended you. If I teach you the spell I use, would it be enough to get back in your good graces?" Leo asked, looking at her with pleading eyes.

"Sorry, I don't take bribes," she replied.

"How about a book?" Leo asked casually, lacing his fingers behind his head and leaning back on his seat. Hermione sat up straighter, body tensing but she remained otherwise impassive. Neville sat beside them, eyes locked on the match where Ron sent a disarming spell towards a Ravenclaw student that he wasn't familiar with.

"That sounds interesting," Luna chimed in. "Would you care for a Quibbler?" she asked. Leo and Hermione glanced over at her holding up her own copy, albeit upside-down.

"Maybe later," they replied together. The group fell silent while Ron got knocked to the ground and the other team began to whoop with glee. Neville stood up to take his spot on the stage.

"Soooo," Ron drawled, sitting down and not at all bothered by his loss. "Malfoy?" he asked and Leo nodded. "Are we going to do something about it?" he asked, watching Neville being disarmed for the second time.

"I plan on it," Leo replied evenly, eyes on the stage where Neville had successfully disarmed his opponent.

"Tonight?" he asked but Leo shook his head. Neville managed to stun his opponent and grab up the wand, effectively winning his round.

"No, I've got some late night activities planned already. We can wait until February; around then, things get easier to move around." Hermione glanced over at the both of them and Ron surreptitiously rubbed his hands together.

"I want in," Ron said. Leo turned to give her a wide smile.

"You want in?" Leo asked incredulously while Hermione eyed him cautiously.

"What are you up to?" she asked in a slightly demanding tone.

"Oh, just adding to the monthly chaos quota. I feel rather left out, letting you lions get all the fun," he replied.

"So, what are you doing that requires you to push back a bit of revenge?" Ron asked curiously.

"I've got a plate full of more important things than petty payback," Leo admitted.

"Such as?" Hermione demanded.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" he retorted with a wink. Hermione huffed, digging through her bag for a book.

"What are you up to?" Ron whispered.

"Animagus lessons," he whispered back. "I can't let an opportunity like this pass by," he admitted in a hushed voice.

"You took his offer?" Hermione asked, eyes going wide as she tried to keep her voice from reaching a shrill tone.

"Did you?" Leo asked instead.

"What offer?" Ron asked slightly too loudly. They both shushed him, glancing over to where Professor Snape was eyeing them.

"We'll talk about it later," Leo said, effectively putting an end to the conversation. He was beginning to regret his decision to say anything. The remainder of the match passed without a hitch and surprisingly, Snape gave them no grief as they celebrated their way through the halls.

* * *

><p><strong>What's this? Leo and Ron teaming for a change? Shocking!<strong>

**Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter even though you had to wait some time for it. Apologies. Vet tech school is kicking my butt and I haven't been able to do anything besides study. Christmas break's been a welcome change.**

**~LE**


End file.
